Grading the Casey Mize Trade: Tigers Get an Exciting Young Pitcher in Return

The Detroit Tigers became sellers at the trade deadline after agreeing to send Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then, Detroit was a little too quiet as the 6:00 p.m. ET deadline quickly approached.

Several tradeable players were still on the roster, and some wondered if the Skubal move was the only trade that Scott Harris had up his sleeve. However, he had a move at the buzzer.

As the hour passed, the Tigers struck a deal with the San Diego Padres, sending starting pitcher Casey Mize and infielder Gage Workman in exchange for two left-handed pitchers, Kash Mayfield and Jackson Wolf.

Who Are the Tigers Getting?

Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris watches practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mayfield was the Padres' No. 2 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He was selected in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. He has a solid career in the minor leagues so far.

The 6'4" southpaw has made 34 starts in Single-A and posted a 3.24 ERA over 114 innings. He's racked up an impressive 150 strikeouts to 50 walks, while opponents are hitting .210 against him. That's a pretty good start to his pro career. In fact, Mayfield has been on Detroit's radar, according to Jason Beck of mlb.com.

"We really liked him in the draft," Harris said. "He was always a player that we had our eye on. It's a big projectable frame, it's a really athletic delivery, it's a really fast arm." Harris noted that Mayfield is hitting 92 mph on his fastball, but he's still getting swing-and-miss, and he'll only get stronger.

Wolf is a 27-year-old lefty who's made 17 starts and seven relief appearances this season, with a 7.05 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Wolf will likely stay in Triple-A to eat up innings.

Grading the Mize-Padres Trade

Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize pitches. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's an unfortunate end to Mize's career with the Tigers. The former No. 1 overall pick found his stride this season when he was available. Mize boasts a 2.70 ERA over 16 starts and has been put on contending teams' radars.

The 29-year-old had an up-and-down career with Detroit, but he's been a major part of the rotation over the last couple of seasons. Now, Mize provides a major boost to the Padres' starting rotation as they attempt a playoff push.

Workman had a brief stint in the big leagues this season. He's had a tremendous summer in Triple-A with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs.

As for Detroit, they receive a quality prospect in Mayfield. The 21-year-old has a lot of potential, and it's a great return for Mize, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. The Tigers didn't anticipate being sellers at the deadline a few months ago, but given the circumstances, this is a solid trade.

Grade: A-

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