It's early, but after the first two games of spring training, a pair of veteran pitchers appear to have the upper hand in the fierce competition for the final two spots in the Detroit Tigers starting rotation.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch rolled out veteran Kenta Maeda to start the first game of the spring. The name alone will have Tigers' fans cringing following his atrocious first year with the Tigers last season. Maeda, 36, posted an atrocious 6.09 ERA with a 1.380 WHIP, going 3-7 over 112.1 innings pitched. The veteran who signed a two-year, $24 million deal last winter lost his spot in the rotation and was banished to the bullpen where he'd be limited to mop-up duty as a long-man. Last season was by far Maeda's worst season in the MLB, but the Tigers and general manager Scott Harris have hope he can right the ship in 2025 and serve a purpose for Detroit in the final year of his contract.
Last season, Maeda, who doesn't throw particularly hard, lost four or five mph on his fastball, which set alarm bells ringing. When Maeda is right, he's throwing around 92 mph consistently, which plays up to the hitter due to his devastating splitter, which is his bread and butter. Throughout his career, as hitters key in on that splitter that disappears at the bottom of the zone, Maeda can go to that low-90s fastball and get it by more regularly than you'd think. Still, last season, he was only topping out around 87-88 mph hitters weren't missing it which became problematic for the Tigers.
Kenta Maeda sharp in his spring training debut for the Detroit Tigers
Maeda pitched exceptionally well in his spring debut, topping out just shy of 94 mph on his fastball, with his average velocity settling in just over 92 mph over his two scoreless frames. The Japanese right-hander made numerous changes this offseason, including honing in on his mechanics. He also threw additional bullpen sessions this winter in an attempt to build up his arm strength to ensure that his velocity was where it needed to be entering the spring.
"This one definitely felt different," Maeda said in Japanese, interpreted by Daichi Sekizaki. "I usually feel an enjoyment to go out there and see how I feel in the first game of spring training, but this one was different. There were definitely some nerves in me. I haven't felt that in a while, so that was very exciting."
"I'll treat these spring training games a little differently," said Maeda, who threw just three fastballs above 91 mph last spring. "I have to earn a spot. I got to put the results on the table for me to be worthy of a starter and to show how I'm different from 2024."
Casey Mize looking to solidify his spot in the Tigers' rotation
The Detroit Tigers have a handful of starting pitchers competing for the final two spots in the starting rotation (barring injury). Former first-overall pick Casey Mize is one. Mize, 27, has battled various injuries during his young career, including Tommy John's surgery. The right-hander is looking to bounce back in 2025 following his subpar 2024 season. Mize went 2-6 for the Tigers with a 4.49 ERA and 1.466 WHIP through 102.1 innings of work last season. He fanned 78 and walked 29. He also posted a career-best 3.95 FIP, but his 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings of work remains somewhat concerning for a starting pitcher of his caliber.
Mize started Detroit's second spring game on Sunday afternoon against the New York Yankees. He surrendered two hits and struck out three in his scoreless two frames. The young right-hander looked sharp and took his first step toward solidifying a role on Opening Day for the Tigers in the bottom two of their rotation.
Jackson Jobe's hope of landing a role with the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day is in jeopardy
It's not the end of the world if Detroit Tigers top prospect Jackson Jobe doesn't find himself on the Opening Day roster, but it would leave many fans deflated. You know how it is. As fans, we always want the newest shiny toy up with the big club as soon as possible, regardless of whether it is the correct move or not. In this case, it's Jackson Jobe.
Jobe was impressive during his first live batting practice session following a rough start. Jobe threw four straight balls to begin as he tried to feel things out. He may have felt the pressure of team owner Chris Ilitch and general manager Scott Harris among the crowd gathered to view the session. Following those four straight pitches that missed the zone, Jobe found his groove, and the subsequent 17 of 21 tosses were for strikes. Jobe also unveiled a new weapon: a curveball. That breaking ball should play well paired with his 98-plus mph fastball. Jobe wasn't getting enough swing-and-miss on his changeup and sweeper last season, and the added curve is expected to aid that, particularly at the MLB level.
"It was a good pitch to get me over, but no one was really swinging or missing," Jobe said, referencing his high-spin sweeper. "I think the curveball plays so much better off my fastball. I think that's the biggest reason why it's playing better."
Jobe is among the handful of starting pitchers currently competing for a final roster spot this spring. The competition for the final two rotation spots, with newly signed Alex Cobb on the shelf with a hip injury, appears to be between Mize, Maeda, Jobe, Matt Manning, and Keider Montero.
If the race remains close throughout spring training, don't be surprised if the Tigers elect to start Jobe in Toledo and go with a couple of more experienced arms, such as Mize, Maeda, or Montero, to round out their rotation. The latter two both have experience coming out of the bullpen and could serve as either an opener, long-man, or mop-up duty to begin the year for manager A.J. Hinch.
Also, as much as it pains me to say, a short stint in Toledo may do Jobe a world of good and help prepare him to be a long-term top-of-the-rotation starter for the Tigers in the not-so-distant future. Jobe appeared in just two games at the triple-A level, yielding 12 hits in just nine innings of work. He posted a 6.00 ERA, walked five, struck out seven, and allowed two home runs.