Casey Mize's Splitter Froze in Minneapolis, but Sunny Detroit Could Thaw Everything Saturday

Casey Mize threw a gem in his season debut against Arizona, striking out nine and holding the Diamondbacks to one run in six innings. Problem? He got zero decision in a 7-5 loss. Then came Monday in Minneapolis, where the cold,and Mize's command,completely fell apart.

Wind chills in the 20s, a fastball sitting at 91 mph instead of his usual velocity, and a splitter that wouldn't cooperate. The result: five runs, seven hits, three walks in 4 1/3 innings. Luke Keaschall went deep on a four-seamer in the fourth. Loss number one. Mize's ERA climbed to 5.23.

"I didn't pitch well," Mize said after the 7-3 defeat. "The splitter, I could tell, was going to be tough to command from the get-go, just it being so cold and dry." He knows the issue: throw 91-mph fastballs and miss your spot, and you're getting homered. "Frustrating, for sure."

The Weather Report Suddenly Matters

Saturday's forecast in Detroit looks nothing like Minneapolis. Low 50s, sunny skies. Mize gets his first home start of the season against Miami, and he's banking on conditions that actually let him pitch instead of just survive. He's 0-1 against the Marlins in his career, giving up two runs in six innings back in May 2024 in a 2-0 loss.

Junk Faces a Tiger with Something to Prove

Mize's opponent is Marlins right-hander Janson Junk, who just delivered one of the best outings of his career Monday against Cincinnati. Seven and a third innings, two runs, seven hits. Career-best performance. Problem? Miami scored zero runs. Junk took the 2-0 loss anyway.

"I just want to go out there and do the best I can," Junk said. "Whatever's best for the team, that's what I'm willing to do." Manager Clayton McCullough backed him up after winning a spring training rotation battle: "Janson's a good pitcher. We still feel very good about the group that we have here right now, and Janson certainly is proven to be a really high-quality major league pitcher."

Detroit snapped a five-game skid Friday with a 2-0 shutout, but Parker Meadows' collision with Riley Greene in Minnesota left him with a broken forearm and concussion. The Tigers called up Wenceel Perez from Triple-A Toledo, who went 0-for-3 in his debut.

Saturday's game at Comerica Park starts a weather-dependent reset for Mize. Sunny skies and warmer temps might be exactly what he needs.

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