Named as a rest option avoided for Game 1; part of the Tigers’ rotation depth considered for a post-season run, illustrating how Detroit balances workload with upside.

Mize helped Detroit lock the game early, keeping Cleveland off the scoreboard well into the seventh. His quality start sets a high bar for the Tigers’ rotation as they pursue the series edge, though the late inning collapse ultimately doomed the outing.

Mize, a right-hander with homer-prone tendencies, is Detroit’s catalyst in the early game. His matchup vs Cleveland tests the Tigers’ ability to leverage offense and protect late-inning leads with a shaky September bullpen.

Casey Mize rode a velocity surge and a refined splitter-slider mix to a strong September and his first postseason start for Detroit, anchoring the Tigers’ rotation in a pivotal series.

<p>Casey Mize centers the storyline as Detroit’s Game 2 starter in the wild-card series after last year’s ALDS snub. Offseason work sharpened his fastball, splitter and slider, reducing walks and lifting strikeouts to 22.2% in 2025, culminating in a 3.87 ERA over 149 innings and an All-Star selection.</p><p>His readiness and the emotional arc—returning to the Guardians’ bullpen memory and turning it into postseason momentum—frame his role as a potential fantasy pillar in deeper leagues, with a legit chance to deliver wins and quality starts in tight playoff rotations.</p>