Casey Mize's Career-Best Outing Makes History for Tigers Boss A.J. Hinch

The Detroit Tigers didn't look like a fourth-place team on Monday night's series opener against the New York Yankees, scoring seven runs on 11 hits. Detroit is now one of two teams in the AL Central with a positive run differential (Chicago White Sox) with the victory.

Starting pitcher Casey Mize was the best thing going for the Tigers at the end of the day, locking up his career-best outing against one of the top teams in the American League, where he pitched in seven innings, striking out a career-high 10 batters and allowing just one hit.

Mize's ERA has now dropped to 2.63 on the season, setting him up nicely for a chance at a big bag when he hits free agency following the 2026 campaign.

The former All-Star has been exactly what the Detroit Tigers needed from a starting pitcher in 2026. However, as the season progresses, his position in the Tigers' rotation may be at risk for the future with the trade deadline looming around the corner.

For now, though, both fans and manager A.J. Hinch can savor a significant road win, which marked an important moment for the Tigers manager.

Hinch Secures 1,000th Managerial Victory

With the Tigers' victory, Hinch secured his 1,000th victory as a manager in Major League Baseball, joining Terry Francona as the only other active manager with 1,000 victories. From his first victory to his 1,000th, Detroit's manager has been nothing but appreciative of the opportunities he's had.

“It’s a great feeling to get to a milestone with this group of players," Hinch said in his postgame following the victory over New York carried on Detroit Sports Network.

"It's my third organization to be able to manage and to get to this number is a really cool feeling... I obviously owe a lot to a lot of people. I'm very, very lucky to be in the game and be able to manage."

Detroit fans have expressed their emotions on the state of the Tigers organization, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and now, once again, are under a .500 record, looking for a miracle. While Hinch had his moment, fans still have the record looking right back at them.

The Tigers now hold a 17.6% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, and will likely be sellers at the trade deadline. There have been moments in 2026 for Hinch that have raised eyebrows, but at the end of the day, Detroit has a strong manager who will continue to lead the team to the best of his abilities.

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