Tigers Reveal Full Rotation Order Ahead of Opening Day Next Week
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The Detroit Tigers are just under a week away from Opening Day against the San Diego Padres out West next Thursday, but fans can now mark their calendars for who is going to be starting when.
Though the Opening Day starter being Tarik Skubal is of course to no one's surprise, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch revealed the full order for how the rotation will be set to begin the year from one through five.
After Skubal gets things going on March 26, new ace Framber Valdez will be second on Friday, March 27 while Jack Flaherty closes out the series that Saturday in the third spot. After a day off, Justin Verlander will be fourth and make his season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 30, while Casey Mize holds down the No. 5 spot with a debut on March 31.
If things go according to plan, this would put Verlander in line to make his grand return to Detroit and Comerica Park on Sunday, April 5, a game which is going to be featured nationally on Sunday Night Baseball.
What Tigers Rotation Says About Each Arm
Naturally, Skubal is the ace of this staff. He's the best pitcher on the planet and trying to become the first ever pitcher to win three straight American League Cy Young awards and just the third overall. Anyone else being up first would be a downright travesty.
Valdez is where it gets interesting, especially with two left-handers working out of the top rather than splitting them up. Putting them second shows Detroit's belief that he is indeed the star they have been hoping for when they signed him.
Beyond the top two, Flaherty being third shows the team still having belief he can get back to that form from the first half of the 2024 season before being traded, something which would give legitimate World Series potential if he can.
Verlander was never going to be at the top, but him being above Mize shows both that they believe he still has a lot left to offer, and potentially that they are indeed concerned with the struggles Mize has had this spring.
Tigers On Paper Have Elite Rotation if Potential is Reached
There's no question that if these top five can reach their potential, this is absolutely one of the best starting rotations in all of baseball. From top-to-bottom, all five at their best in recent seasons have shown All-Star ability, and while injuries are inevitable, this is likely to be the core all season long.
If the two at the top can provide a trickle-down impact on the rest of the staff, this has the chance to be an extremely special season for Detroit. Exciting days are ahead for this team, and it's all just six days away from baseball being back in the Motor City.
With the release of the full rotation, the season feels closer than ever.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.