Tigers' Casey Mize Earned a Stronger Look for the All-Star Game

Major League Baseball announced the 2026 All-Star rosters on Saturday and Casey Mize’s name was not among the list.

Now, being honest, considering the depth of the American League pitching pool, it wasn’t exactly shocking.

But, just because his name wasn’t there doesn’t mean that the Detroit Tigers’ right-hander wasn’t worthy of serious consideration. He was. Every time Mize has taken the mound, he has pitched like an All-Star.

Mize has put together a comeback season worth a hard look. He has reestablished himself as a front-line arm after recovering from injuries that just kept setting him back.

Mize Returning to Form

Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In 2025, Mize earned his first All-Star selection, and he came back in 2026 looking to prove himself yet again.

The biggest thing holding Mize off the roster wasn’t his performance; it was time on the mound.

He’s had two different periods of time when he showed up on the injured list this year suffering from a right adductor strain. That unfortunate injury has caused him to take the mound just 12 times.

When healthy, Mize’s numbers compare quite favorably with those who did make the All-Star rosters.

Over those 12 starts, the 29-year-old has posted a 2.63 ERA and an impressive 0.97 WHIP. He has held opponents to a .208 average while striking out 68 over 65 innings. He has only given up 14 free passes this season.

Those are All-Star numbers.

Consistency Has Defined His Year

The best thing about Mize this year has been just how consistent he has been. He hasn’t relied on one dominant stretch, he has just performed all year.

He opened the season with a 3.24 ERA in April and then was amazing in June with a 1.08 ERA over his three starts. He threw 16.2 innings and allowed just two earned runs.

June was a little slower for the pitcher but still posted a 3.63 ERA. He came back on June 29 to have the best performance of his season.

Against the New York Yankees, he tossed seven innings of one-hit baseball, struck out 10, which tied his career high for strikeouts.

That’s the kind of outing you expect from an All-Star-caliber pitcher, and he provided it. This wasn’t just a good start; it was a reminder why Mize was selected in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft.

Detroit’s Future with Mize

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Casey Mize | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit’s performance over the first half of the season probably didn’t help the case for Mize. They have battled inconsistency all year and now enter the second half trying to fight for a Wild Card position.

The Tigers are 39-50 on the season and in the American League Central they sit 7.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox while they are six games back of the final Wild Card spot currently held by the Texas Rangers.

But Mize has provided stability throughout the year and every time his card comes up in the rotation, he arrives ready to work.

When superstar Tarik Skubal made the shocking announcement that he was going to require surgery, Mize just stepped up and kept performing.

As a sidenote here, Skubal didn’t make the All-Star team either and clearly because he missed time for his recovery.

So, what about Mize’s future? Well, the front office is going to be facing a tough decision here. Mize is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2026 season, which means that Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg are going to have to decide what part Mize is going to play or whether Mize is a valuable trade asset.

The All-Star Snub

Missing out on the All-Star roster doesn’t define his career or diminish anything Mize has done. He has already proven he is a reliable starter.

His first-half performance warranted a hard look, and he likely belonged there.

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