Casey Mize Left Mid-Inning With Groin Tightness and Nobody Knows How Bad It Gets

Detroit's ace didn't even make it out of the third inning Tuesday night against Atlanta, and now the Tigers are holding their breath waiting for an MRI to tell them what they're actually dealing with. Casey Mize, the No. 1 overall pick back in 2018, felt his right groin start tightening up mid-game and eventually couldn't push through it anymore.

The Moment It Went Wrong

Mize said the tightness crept up gradually in the second inning, not like a sudden grab that forces you off the mound. He made it through that frame, and the team tested it between innings. He felt good enough to keep going. But here's the thing: it never really went away. On a soft grounder from Atlanta's Drake Baldwin, Mize fielded the ball, made an underhanded toss to first for the out, and that's when manager A.J. Hinch and the trainer knew something was off. Mize came up tentative. They pulled him immediately.

"He came up pretty tentative and he wanted to throw a pitch, but we're not going to mess with that in April," Hinch said after the Tigers' 5-2 loss. "And just given how he was describing how he was feeling, we took him out of the game. He'll get checked out. I have no idea the severity or anything like that, yet."

The Timing Stings

This is exactly what Detroit didn't need right now. Mize was actually pitching well to start the season, sitting at 2-2 with a 2.90 ERA through six starts. A first-time All-Star last year, he looked like he was building on that success. Then Tuesday happened. He took the loss after giving up two runs on three hits, striking out three and walking one in just 2 1/3 innings.

The MRI comes Wednesday. Until then, Tigers fans are just waiting to find out if this is something minor that clears up in a few days, or something that could cost them their ace for an extended stretch. In late April, when every win matters and momentum is fragile, losing Mize for any significant time would sting.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.