Latest on Casey Mize, Javier Báez Injuries Signal What’s Next for Tigers
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Not only did the Detroit Tigers lose to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, but they also lost two important players in April to injuries. Both starting pitcher Casey Mize and INF/OF Javier Báez were removed from the game, both with individual injuries.
As reported by Tigers PR on X (formerly Twitter), RHP Casey Mize will hit the 15-day IL due to a right adductor strain, and Báez will go on the 10-day IL with a right ankle sprain. In a corresponding move for both players, both LHP Enmanuel De Jesus and Jace Jung were recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
The Tigers today placed RHP Casey Mize on the 15-day injured list with a right adductor strain and placed INF Javier Báez on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain. LHP Enmanuel DeJesus and INF Jace Jung have been recalled from Triple-A Toledo.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) April 29, 2026
Mize had gotten off to an electric start in 2026, arguably posing as the Tigers' best starting pitcher. He hits the IL with an ERA of 2.90 and a WHIP of 1.19. Following the removal of the game, Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold revealed Mize's thoughts on what occurred on the field.
"I feel pretty good about things, as good as you can. The tests we've done so far seem pretty positive," Mize said before the MRI results came back in.
Losing Mize isn't what the Tigers needed going into May, trying to get some wins under their belts and create some distance in the AL Central standings. It will have to do for now, as the injury might force Detroit's hand with Keider Montero and Justin Verlander helping the cause for the rotation.
As for Báez, the veteran infielder has been a Swiss Army knife for the Tigers so far this season and has shown good signs at the plate. He hits the IL two home runs, six RBIs, and a .256 AVG. His OPS is below league average, but Báez has never been the walking type to begin with.
Now with Báez out, Jace Jung will be getting more opportunities to prove he can be a mainstay or a bench player in Detroit. So far this season in Triple-A, Jung has hit two home runs and driven in 10 RBIs while hitting .222 at the plate with an OPS of .772.
Still searching for his first home run in the big leagues, Jung will look to take advantage of his return to the show to hopefully become an important piece on the way to a better record. As a Tiger, Jung has gotten 24 hits and has been a -1.0 WAR player in 126 at-bats.
Something has to improve before the franchise decides a different fate for the former first-round pick.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.