Casey Mize's Stellar Return from Injury Stifled by Tigers Offense

Casey Mize's elite performance was overshadowed by Detroit's brutal offensive showing.

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Casey Mize returned from a two-and-a-half-week injured-list stint and shoved in the Tigers' loss to the Blue Jays at Comerica Park on Saturday.

Mize was sent to the injured list at the end of April with a right adductor strain, and no one would have known based on his performance over the weekend.

He allowed just two hits and struck out four over six scoreless innings of work. It took just 71 pitches to get through six frames, and he failed to walk a batter. He lowered his season ERA to 2.43, and got it done with four pitches.

His slider was his most effective and used pitch of the evening. He produced five swing and misses and threw it 21 times. His fastball was thrown 19 times, splitter 17 times, and 10 sinkers, producing a fantastic pitch mix that kept the Blue Jays guessing all afternoon.

Before his injury-shortened outing on April 28, Mize put together three consecutive quality starts. He allowed just two runs over 18.1 innings with 19 strikeouts. Mize has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, but he's been a strong pitcher when healthy. If health is on his side this season, he is on pace to set career records.

The Tigers' Offense Failed to Back Mize's Elite Afternoon

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Despite his strong season, Detroit is just 2-5 during his starts, and the Tigers' offense wasn't able to back him. Detroit scored just one run on Saturday night and lost in extra innings 2-1. The lone run came on a Matt Vierling solo-homer in the sixth.

Outside of the homer, Detroit was able to get runners in scoring position just twice and failed to capitalize. Kevin McGonigle and Dillon Dingler worked the bases loaded with two outs in the third inning, but Gage Workman struck out to strand the runners.

The Tigers put runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but another strikeout, this time of Colt Keith, ended the threat.

Despite the offense being unable to knock in runners, it's good to see Mize return with such vengeance. Detroit's rotation was hit hard when it was without Tarik Skubal, Justin Verlander, and Casey Mize simultaneously. While Verlander and Skubal are still a ways away from returning. Mize has joined Montero, Jack Flaherty, Ty Madden, and Framber Valdez to hold down the fort.

If everything goes as planned, Mize's next start will come at the end of the series against the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday. If he continues this production, a trip to the All-Star game is still a possibility.