The Detroit Tigers will start the season on Thursday on the road against the San Diego Padres. Everyone knows Tarik Skubal will get the ball to start the 2026 season but who follows him is now unknown. Framber Valdez will get the ball in the second game. Jack Flaherty wraps up the series with the Padres. Justin Verlander will be the number four and start the series against Arizona next Monday. Casey Mize wraps up the five-man rotation. Valdez will get the Tigers’ home opener on April 3rd against the Cardinals. Verlander’s first home start in his return to the Tigers will come on Sunday Night Baseball in the series finale against the Cardinals.
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Tarik Skubal
Skubal this spring has made four starts going 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts in 13.2 innings. He won his second straight Cy Young Award last year making 31 starts. He went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings.
Framber Valdez
Valdez in three starts this spring is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA, a 0.83 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts in 12 innings. He starts this afternoon for the Tigers in Lakeland for his final start of the spring. Last season with Houston he made 31 starts going 13-11 with a 3.66 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 187 strikeouts in 192 innings.
Jack Flaherty
Flaherty in three starts this spring is 1-0 with a 7.88 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and eight strikeouts in eight innings. He’ll make his last spring start Monday against the Rockies. In 31 starts last season, he went 8-15 with a 4.64 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, and 188 strikeouts in 161 innings.
Justin Verlander
Verlander returns to where he started his career. In three starts this spring he’s posting a 5.40 ERA, a 1.30 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in ten innings. He’ll start Tuesday against the Rockies. Verlander made 29 starts for the Giants last season going 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts in 152 innings.
Casey Mize
Mize made five appearances this spring with four of those coming as starts. He went 0-3 with a 7.04 ERA, a 1.83 WHIP, and 12 strikeouts in 15.1 innings. He won’t pitch until the season starts and he’ll get the ball a week from Tuesday. In 28 starts last season, he went 14-6 with a 3.87 ERA, a 1.27 WHIP, and 139 strikeouts in 149 innings.
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