Detroit — Casey Mize’s was the first bullpen Carson Kelly caught after he signed with the Tigers a week ago. Before Saturday’s game, he got to hit against him.
Guess which one he prefers?
“When I caught his pen, I was like, this guy is really good, really good,” Kelly said. “Just electric stuff. All plus-plus pitches. It’s good to see him on his way back. It was good to see him from the batter’s box, too, but I think I’d rather be behind home plate against him.”
Kelly, a right-handed hitter, and rookie Parker Meadows, a lefty swinger, got two at-bats each against Mize in his first live bullpen session since he had both Tommy John surgery and back surgery in June of 2022.
It went very well.
“He was really exceptional,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “It’s live BP, so you have to keep it in context. But as far as delivery, arm action and freedom — I mean, he’s already hard on himself about not executing pitches and not being perfect.
“That tells me he’s thinking about pitching and not about rehabbing.”
Mize threw 20 pitches and he featured a lively four-seam fastball that sat at 95 mph and snapping curveball. It looked like he only threw one split-fingered pitch and, by his own admission, the slider is going to be the last pitch to come around.
“I just love to pitch and it was good to do it with a hitter in the box,” he said. “My body feels great and I am happy to knock down another step in a really long process. But I’m not at the finish line yet.”
The entire pitching staff and most of the position players were on the field to watch Mize’s session.
“That was pretty awesome for him and also for our team,” Hinch said. “I think everybody is curious how Casey is going to accelerate through this process.”
MORE: The main event: Miguel Cabrera vs. Justin Verlander at Comerica Park, one last time
Only one ball was put in play against him. Kelly lined a single up the middle. First time up, Mize froze him with a tight breaking ball. The ride on his four-seam fastball stood out.
“Going into this process I knew the fastball was something I wanted to address,” Mize said. “A lot more four-seamers is what you’re going to see, just trying to carry it more through the zone. I’ve been really pleased with the fastball through this whole thing — just in terms of the velocity and whatnot.
“I feel good where I’m at. It feels like I’m not trying to overdo it, but also I’m not being cautious.”
Mize will have another live session early next week. Hinch is still keeping the window open that Mize could pitch in real competition, a rehab outing, before the end of the season.
“We just want to get him to the next live BP and maybe get him an up-down,” Hinch said. “We have time. It doesn’t feel like it because the calendar will turn soon. But we’ve been so patient and he’s been so patient, we need to see the next one before we worry about that.
“If the last thing he did was these live BPs, that’s OK.”
Around the horn
Matt Manning, who came out of his start in the seventh inning Friday with back tightness, was among the throng taking in Mize’s session. He said he felt a lot better. Hinch, though, is taking a more cautious approach.
“We will see how the next couple of days go,” he said. “He’s moving around OK. He was pretty sore at the end of the night. We’re going to give it a day or two and see where he’s at.”
… Kelly, who has been on a crash course trying to learn his new pitching staff, got his second start with the Tigers Saturday. He was asked how he was handling the intake.
“It’s good,” he said, with a smile. “It’s just like drinking from a firehose at times, but it’s all right.”
X (formerly Twitter): @cmccosky
Astros at Tigers
First pitch: 1:40 p.m. Sunday, Comerica Park, Detroit
TV/radio: BSD/97.1.
Scouting report
RHP Justin Verlander (9-6, 3.19), Astros: He had a bumpy entry into this season, starting with shoulder soreness that held him out in April, and then he posted an un-Verlander like 4.50 ERA through his first nine starts with the Mets. He got better. In 11 starts since June 26, he’s 7-2 with a 2.17 ERA, holding hitters to a .216 average and a .594 OPS. He’s 3-1 since being traded back to Houston and he’s coming off six shutout innings, with nine strikeouts, against the Red Sox.
RHP Alex Faedo (2-4, 4.91), Tigers: He’s allowed only five earned runs in his last four starts covering 21.2 innings and held hitters to a .123 average. Teams are thinking twice about stacking left-handed hitters against him. He’s holding them to a .146 average with a .202 on-base percentage. Lefties are 2 for 28 against his slider with 11 strikeouts.