The Predicted Detroit Tigers Pitching Rotation to start the season looks solid
We are just 10 days away from the Detroit Tigers taking on the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day and we thought it would be fun to take a look at what the Tigers' pitching rotation will be when the season begins. Manager A.J. Hinch has already announced that Tarik Skubal will get the Opening Day start on March 28th in Chicago, and Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty are pretty much locked into the No. 2 and No. 3 spot in the rotation. But who will claim the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the rotation?
The Battle Continues
At this point in Spring Training, we are confident that the Tigers have already determined which five pitchers will be part of the rotation to start the season. That said, on Monday, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press released an article about the Tigers' Opening Day roster and he discussed how Casey Mize, Matt Manning, and Reese Olson are competing for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the starting rotation.
Petzold noted how all three of the pitchers listed above have been very good so far in Spring Training, with Manning being the most dominant. But he also noted that something else could come into play when determining who will make the rotation out of camp.
Something to keep in mind: Olson has 123 days of service time after making his MLB debut in June 2023, whereas Mize has two years, 111 days and Manning has two years, 98 days. The Tigers don't have anything to gain from a service time standpoint by optioning Mize and Manning, but that's not the case with Olson.
Olson is currently on the borderline for Super Two status if he stays on the major-league roster for each of the next two seasons, but if he gets optioned to Triple-A Toledo for a few weeks, he won't have any chance of qualifying for Super Two status, which is the difference between being eligible for salary arbitration for three years or four years before entering free agency.
Detroit Tigers Pitching Rotation Prediction
Petzold brings up a great point when discussing why the Tigers could decide to keep Mize and Manning over Olson due to MLB service time issues, but I don't think it will matter either way. My belief is that the Tigers will roll with Mize and Manning as their No. 4 and No. 5 pitchers to start the season.
- Tarik Skubul
- Kenta Maeda
- Jack Flaherty
- Casey Mize
- Matt Manning
TL;DR (too long didn't read)
- Opening Day Starter: Tarik Skubal is announced as the Opening Day starter for the Detroit Tigers on March 28th against the Chicago White Sox, with Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty securing the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the rotation.
- Competition for Remaining Spots: Casey Mize, Matt Manning, and Reese Olson are competing for the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the starting rotation, with all three performing well in Spring Training.
- Service Time Considerations: Olson's service time is a factor in the decision-making process, as optioning him to Triple-A Toledo could impact his Super Two status and arbitration eligibility.
Bottom Line
While service time considerations might influence the decision, the Detroit Tigers are likely to select Casey Mize and Matt Manning as their No. 4 and No. 5 pitchers to kick off the season. This choice aligns with the team's strategy to field a competitive rotation, with Tarik Skubal, Kenta Maeda, and Jack Flaherty leading the charge. The final decision, however, will hinge on the remaining performances in Spring Training and how the team balances immediate needs against long-term considerations like service time and player development.