Detroit Tigers Boss Details Which Pitchers Fighting for Rotation Spots

The Detroit Tigers are just 10 days away from Opening Day and excitement is starting to build for what fans hope could be the most special season the franchise has seen in some time.

In order for that to be the case, the Tigers are going to have to get some successful pitching and take advantage of what could perhaps be their greatest asset: the starting rotation.

It's already a known fact that those who are locked into the unit are unanimous American League Cy Young ace Tarik Skubal, talented young right-hander Reese Olson, and lucrative signing Jack Flaherty.

During an appearance on Foul Territory, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch acknowledged that fact and confirm what many have suspected, that four players -— former top prospect Casey Mize, current top prospect Jackson Jobe, veteran Kenta Maeda, and unheralded Keider Montero — are battling for the final two spots in the rotation.

"Two of them are going to be disappointed, everyone wants to be in the rotation, everyone wants to start games," Hinch said of the competition. "We have until the end of camp to figure it out and we're gonna need all of them. They don't want to hear that right now, they want to be on the Opening Day roster."

Hinch went on to dispel the idea of a six-man rotation, a possibility which has been widely talked about given the abundance of talent.

"We do plan on having five starters," Hinch said while referencing the fact the team deployed a lot of bullpen games last season. "We may run a bullpen game at some point during the season if it's the best way to beat that team...it's been fun to keep the other team guessing but I know these starters want to be locked into the rotation."

It really is a brutally difficult decision for Hinch to make with a multitude of factors weighing in. Of the four, Mize has been the best throughout the spring and with it seemingly a final chance for the righty, he could be given a shot.

Jobe may be the most difficult case study. Flashing ridiculous and flat out elite stuff is one thing, but he has struggled making hitters swing and miss and could potentially benefit from more time. On the other hand, the potential upside is difficult to ignore.

As for Maeda, the team is already committed to paying him a large sum of money this season despite his struggles last year after signing a two-year deal. The Tigers will be paying him handsomely even if he doesn't throw an inning, giving them extra motivation to get their money's worth.

Montero is perhaps the X-factor with a solid spring coming off some big starts including a playoff game last year. Of the four, he would make the most sense to be used in the bullpen, but he also proved he's capable of giving quality starts as well.

Clearly, this competition is going down to the wire and Hinch wants to see every pitch he can before making a final decision.

The options at this point are fairly cut and dry though, and it won't be long before a decision is made.

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