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Detroit Tigers rotation: These 3 pitchers emerge as frontrunners to replace Alex Cobb
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- Detroit Tigers rotation: These 3 pitchers emerge as frontrunners to replace Alex Cobb
LAKELAND, Fla. — The injury bug bit the Detroit Tigers before spring training began.
Right-hander Alex Cobb , an oft-injured veteran, suffered a right hip injury in early February, at least a week before pitchers and catchers reported Feb. 12 to spring camp. He will start the 2025 season on the injured list . The Cobb injury is an opportunity for another pitcher to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.
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The Tigers have three starters locked in: left-hander Tarik Skubal , right-hander Jack Flaherty and right-hander Reese Olson . Right-hander Jackson Jobe is expected to make the Opening Day roster, but he must earn his way in spring training.
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If Jobe is a lock, then six pitchers are competing for the final spot in the Opening Day starting rotation, but three right-handed pitchers seem to be emerging as frontrunners for one spot: Kenta Maeda , Casey Mize and Keider Montero . (If Jobe isn't a lock, then four pitchers — Jobe, Maeda, Mize, Montero — are competing for two spots.)
Here are the three pitchers who seem most likely to replace Cobb in the 2025 Opening Day starting rotation:
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Kenta Maeda
Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenta Maeda stretches during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024.
Age:36.
Salary:$10 million.
2024 stats:29 games (17 starts), 112⅓ IP, 6.09 ERA, 2.5 BB/9, 7.7 K/9, 0.0 fWAR.
The buzz:Maeda — entering the final season of a two-year, $24 million contract — revamped his offseason program for the first time in his career, focusing on cleaning up his mechanics and increasing his workload. He threw eight bullpens in Japan before reporting to spring training this year, a big difference from just one bullpen last offseason. He aims to reestablish himself as a starter as part of a bounce-back season in 2025. His first three spring outings have been promising, with 14 strikeouts over 8⅔ innings, all while averaging about 92 mph on his fastball, which is way better than his 90.8 mph average in 2024. Maintaining his velocity is the next step. If he stays at 92 mph beyond three innings, rather than slipping down to 90 mph, then he has a significantly better chance to thrive as a starter.
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Casey Mize
Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize warms up during spring training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.
Age:27.
Salary:$2.34 million.
2024 stats:22 games (20 starts), 102⅓ IP, 4.49 ERA, 2.6 BB/9, 6.9 K/9, 1.3 fWAR.
LEARN MORE: Tigers starter Kenta Maeda is ready for comeback season in 2025 after big changes
The buzz:Mize, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft, went back to the drawing board to fix his slider and ended up with three variations. His goal is to get more strikeouts by boosting his whiff rate. In the offseason, he learned two new slider grips at independent pitching labs, including Driveline Baseball. He has a slider for called strikes, plus a depth slider and a sweep slider for swinging strikes. Aside from the sliders, Mize is trying to command his 97 mph fastball at the bottom of the strike zone to complement his down-in-the-zone splitter, which he increased in velocity from 86-90 mph. This spring, he has completed five scoreless innings with one walk and five strikeouts in two starts, but his next outing will be in relief. If Mize puts it all together, the sky is the limit for the former top prospect.
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Keider Montero
Detroit Tigers pitcher Keider Montero warms up during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024.
Age:24.
Salary:$760,000.
2024 stats:19 games (16 starts), 98⅓ IP, 4.76 ERA, 2.8 BB/9, 7.0 K/9, -0.1 fWAR.
The buzz:Montero, who made his MLB debut in May and threw a complete game shoutout in September, owns a 95 mph fastball, an inconsistent slider and a developing changeup. He has frontline starter potential, so if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, the Tigers want him to develop in Triple-A as a starter rather than transition to the MLB bullpen. He has thrown three scoreless innings with one walk and four strikeouts in two relief appearances this spring, though his next outing will be a start. Montero needs to challenge hitters in the strike zone and shore up the repeatability of his optimal delivery. If he does that, he can dominate any lineup in baseball.
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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers starting rotation: 3 pitchers fighting for final spot
