Inside the Article:
The Detroit Tigers‘ new president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, has put out a challenge to injured pitchers Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal. While the players recover from their respective surgeries, Harris has challenged them to find ways to improve their game and not just wait it out. The Tigers plan to bring Mize and Skubal to Detroit regularly to work with pitching coaches and the other pitchers in the Tigers rotation. By game-planning with healthy starting pitchers and serving as shadow pitching coaches, Mize and Skubal can develop their skills and come back even better than before.
Key points:
- Harris has challenged injured pitchers Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal to not just wait for recovery, but to find ways to improve their game.
- The Tigers plan to bring Mize and Skubal to Detroit regularly to work with pitching coaches and healthy rotation mates.
- Mize underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last June and had back surgery for a lingering lumbar issue.
- Skubal underwent flexor tendon surgery on his left elbow last August.
- Both pitchers have hit all the checkpoints in their rehab, but there are no projected return dates yet.
- Mize pitched to a 3.71 ERA across 30 starts in 2021, while Skubal had a 3.52 ERA through 21 starts in 2022.
Scott Harris challenges Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal
On Wednesday, Harris joined 97.1 The Ticket and he issued the following challenge to Mize and Skubal:
“I’ve challenged both of them to not just wait it out,” Harris said Wednesday on 97.1 The Ticket. “I’ve challenged them to be resourceful and find ways to get better while they’re down. There’s a lot of things you can do while you’re recovering from surgery that can ensure that the version that comes back healthy and on the field at Comerica Park is better than the one that left.”
Harris added that it is a bit early to start predicting exactly when Mize or Skubal will be ready to return to the Tigers.
“As far as timetables, we gotta be realistic about the information that we actually have right now,” Harris said. “It’s a little early to forecast exact dates for their returns. They are making great progress down in Lakeland, their bodies feel great and they are bringing the right mindset to the rehab, but we’re going to need to see a little bit more progress before we can project an exact date on when they’re going to be back.”
The Big Picture: The Tigers' future with Mize and Skubal
The challenge from Harris is important because it highlights the significance of developing young pitchers like Mize and Skubal for the future of the Tigers. Both players have already shown great potential in their short time in the majors and investing in their development during their recovery will only benefit the team in the long run.
The Bottom Line – Rising to the challenge for a brighter future
Scott Harris' challenge to Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal is a smart move for the Detroit Tigers' future success. By investing in the development of their young pitchers during their recovery, the team can come back stronger and better prepared for the seasons ahead. The challenge highlights the importance of continuous improvement and hard work, even during times of injury and recovery.
