West coast trip commences which means I will see very little of Tiger baseball and a lot of minor league Tiger baseball!
On deck: Seattle Mariners
Series: Three games at T-Mobile Park, Seattle
First pitch: Tuesday-Thursday — 9:40 p.m.
TV/radio: All games on BSD/97.1
Probables: Tuesday — RHP Keider Montero (1-5, 6.18) vs. RHP Luis Castillo (9-10, 3.43); Wednesday — LHP Tarik Skubal (12-4, 2.57) vs. RHP George Kirby (8-7, 3.04); Thursday — TBA vs. RHP Bryan Woo (5-1, 2.08)
SCOUTING REPORT
Montero, Tigers: He’s coming off a most encouraging outing against the Royals. After giving up three runs just three batters into the game, he locked in and ended up giving the Tigers seven innings, allowing just one more run after the first. He added a two-seamer to his mix and that, plus a better-located four-seamer got the Royals hitters off his slider.
Castillo, Mariners: He’s coming off his best month of the season, posting a 1.99 ERA and limited hitters to a .202 batting average over 31⅔ innings in five starts in July. He is a miserable day for right-handed hitters. His four-seamer (95-96 mph) and slider are elite against all hitters, but they have dominated righties — .137 average, 35% whiff rate against the four-seamer, .145, 41% whiff against the slider.
Listened to Hinch today. He sounds pretty happy to have it look like Greene and Carpenter back and Meadows up.
Said he doesnt mind Mize acting out because he wants the ball, and that Tork they want fixed permanently before they get him back up. I read that as September.
Hinch was part of the 119 loss 2003 Tigers and he says he apologizes to Tram every time he sees him, and that having Leyland as a managerial sounding board is awesome.
Credit to you late owls, lol, just can’t make it that far anymore nice to wake up to a win.
Montero will be fun to watch the next two months.
And Mize:
Right-hander Casey Mize, returning from a left hamstring strain, is scheduled to make a rehab start Thursday with Toledo. The 27-year-old is lined up to make four starts with the Mud Hens before he’s eligible Aug. 30 to return to the Tigers.
When Mize takes the mound Thursday, he will be pitching in his first game since June 30. For the Tigers, Mize owns a 4.23 ERA with 21 walks and 58 strikeouts across 78⅔ innings in 16 starts this season, returning from elbow surgery and back surgery.
Leading to the rehab assignment, Mize completed a two-inning live batting practice session Saturday against two teammates at Comerica Park. It was the final step of his throwing program.
“He threw me a couple of nasty curveballs, but a nasty splitter, so he looks good,” said Carpenter, who hit a home run off Mize. “I don’t think he was even throwing as hard as he could, like as hard as he does when he’s normally healthy, so I can’t imagine when he’s throwing 98 (mph). It’s gotta be pretty tough to hit.”
• Outfielder Riley Greene (right hamstring strain) continues to progress through a return-to-play running progression. The 23-year-old is doing defense and hitting drills, as well, but finishing a running program is the final hurdle before a rehab assignment. Greene hasn’t played for the Tigers since July 25.
• Right-hander Reese Olson (right shoulder strain) started a return-to-play throwing progression. The 25-year-old will continue to progress his flat ground throwing volume and distance throughout the week, which should lead to his first bullpen, possibly next week. He last pitched for the Tigers on July 20.
They’ve been mostly fun to watch this year. A couple of tough games but compared to the last 10 seasons we at least can see some young talent development.
Series: Three games at T-Mobile Park, Seattle