Detroit Tigers: Casey Mize is having an outstanding 2021 season

The 2021 season has been a good one for the Detroit Tigers. Sure, there’s been struggles, there’s been down days, and there’s been tough losses, but there has also been optimism. The team has consistently shown a positive trend that there are some great things to come.

One of those great things is the continued development and success of Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize. For the longest time, Mize was the coveted future ace who is going to be morphed into the team’s future number one starter.

He has played that role for the team in 2021 and done a fine job. His first chance in the big leagues was in 2020 after the monumental call-up from Al Avila that brought Mize up to the bigs alongside southpaw Tarik Skubal and prospect infielder Isaac Paredes.

In his second year with the pro-club, Mize has been able to really lock in on finding success on the mound, and he certainly has done so. It’s been an impressive performance for the former first-overall pick from the 2018 MLB First-Year Amateur Player Draft.

Detroit Tigers Casey Mize is becoming the ace he was coveted as.

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So far in 2021, Casey Mize has made 24 starts where he carries a 7-6 record. His ERA currently sits at 3.55 over 129.1 innings pitched while also accumulating a 1.16 WHIP for the Tigers.

His recent five shutout inning performance over the Cardinals has only made his numbers get increasingly better.

Mize has looked good in recent starts, and it’s a reflection of solid development and a pitching coach that knows what he is doing.

Chris Fetter has the future ace in his hands, an incredibly talented pitcher, and he has been able to work with Mize and help him further his development while adjusting to the big leagues.

While Mize may have just finally crossed the 100-strikeout plateau, his command and effectiveness with his arsenal have been on the plus-side in recent starts. He may not be collecting whiffs for strikeouts or getting plenty of swings and misses, but weak contact and hitting his spots has been a crucial part of his game plan.

In a nutshell, Mize has been able to cut down the number of line drives he gives up and keep the ball on the ground. The amount of hard-hit balls he has allowed has decreased from 2020 to 2021, though it is from distinctly different sample sizes.

The bottom line is, Mize is piecing himself together to be the team’s future ace as it appears. He’s looked good; the numbers back it up, and for fans who have been watching, the stuff backs it up in-game.

As the innings cap for Mize starts to become a bigger factor, expect shorter starts even if he is having success. The hope is to keep him fresh and limit the stress on his arm in a season where the Tigers are good but certainly not a contender.

As the years go on and the Tigers start entering a competitive mode once again, Mize is going to be the guy and the number one pitcher in the team’s rotation. For now, fans should enjoy watching the ace of the future go to work for the rest of his outstanding 2021 season.