On Saturday, Casey Mize made his first start of the 2022 season and though he did not pitch poorly (5IP, 7H, 4ER, 2K, 0BB) against the Chicago White Sox, he knows things could have (and should have) been better.
Following the game, in which the Detroit Tigers lost 5-2, Mize spoke to reporters and explained what went wrong.
From Detroit Free Press:
“Execution, gotta get better,” Mize said. “I think you’re going to hear me say that a ton.”
“Definitely got to be better in the first and sixth,” Mize said.
“One inning at a time, put up zeros,” Mize said. “You just start fresh and try to put up zeros, and I did — until the sixth. Disappointed, obviously, in the sixth inning. … Just about every start, I’m going to look at certain things positively and certain things negatively, and just be able to build on that.
“I think I threw some really qualities pitches today in some moments. Contrary to that, I threw some really poorly executed pitches as well, so I got to correct that and move forward.”
For the Tigers to make some noise in 2022, Mize is going to have to step up as one of their best pitchers.
We anticipate that is exactly what will happen.