Detroit Tigers send Casey Mize (elbow) back to Lakeland: 'We're going to slow him down'

The Detroit Tigers have transferred right-hander Casey Mize back to Lakeland, Florida, home of the team's spring training facility, to continue his rehabilitation program after he failed to record three outs in the first inning in his first rehab start Thursday for Triple-A Toledo.

The 25-year-old allowed three runs on four hits and threw 16 of 29 pitches for strikes.

He landed on the injured list April 15 with a right elbow sprain and will not make his next scheduled start for the Mud Hens.

"We're going to slow him down a little bit," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday. "We're treating the symptoms. He still doesn't quite feel like he can let go full throttle in bullpens or competition, so we need to dial it back a little bit."

Hinch made sure to clarify Mize's status.

"He's not shut down," he said.

FIRST MLB SAVE: How Tigers reliever Will Vest put out a fire: 'I'm just trying to get to strike 2'

TOP PROSPECT: Here's when Riley Greene (broken foot) could play in first rehab game

The Tigers determined after Thursday's start Mize wasn't ready for competition. He made two starts with the Tigers — posting a 5.40 ERA with two walks and four strikeouts — before his elbow injury. The 2018 No. 1 overall pick has a career 4.29 ERA in 39 starts.

The timetable for Mize's return to the Tigers' rotation is unclear.

"We're going to be very, very slow with this," Hinch said. "We're not going to work backwards from any sort of timeline that he wants to meet or we want to meet. We got to treat the symptoms. The fact that he's not letting it go and not feeling 100%, we're not going to let him pitch."

One more rehab start for Matt Manning

Right-hander Matt Manning completed his second rehab start Friday for Triple-A Toledo, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts in 3⅔ innings.

The 24-year-old threw 34 of 57 pitches for strikes.

"We had a pretty hard line on 60 pitches," Hinch said.

WHAT HAPPENED: Tigers dig deeper into hole with every loss. Here's how things went south so quickly

JEFF SEIDEL: Tigers consistently blow chance after chance. But they could learn from this rookie

The Tigers placed Manning on the 10-day injured list April 20 with right shoulder inflammation. He has a 1.35 ERA with two walks and eight strikeouts over 6⅔ innings during his rehab assignment.

Manning will make another start for the Mud Hens next week.

After that, the Tigers will likely insert him into the rotation.

"It sounds like he felt really good," Hinch said. "His stuff was the same as it was previously. He's going to make another start in five days and hopefully get over that five-inning threshold and into the 70s, maybe 80 pitches, as he builds himself up to being back with us."

Victor Reyes coming soon

Outfielder Victor Reyes wound up on the injured list, too, gong down April 23 with a left quad strain. He has appeared in four rehab games for Toledo, hitting .500 (7-for-14) with two home runs, four RBIs, three walks and zero strikeouts.

The 27-year-old could return to the Tigers for the upcoming three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg.

"Victor has been swinging the bat very well," Hinch said. "He's been running great. The great part of having video, we can see every moment. ... He's answered everything that we need him to. I would expect him to be back with us pretty quickly."

The latest on Austin Meadows

Outfielder Austin Meadows was held out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row with an inner ear infection. He is dealing with vertigo symptoms and said he feels like the environment around him is always spinning.

He also missed the final three of four games in Houston when the Tigers played the Astros from May 5-8 at Minute Maid Park.

"I don't know if it's an infection or just inner ear dizziness," Meadows said Saturday. "I was pretty sick in Houston. I had a sinus infection, so I don't know if it's a residual effect from that, or whatever is it."

He went through baseball activities — hitting, fielding and running — before Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. If cleared, he will be available off the bench as a pinch-hitter.

Meadows, 27, is hitting .270 with four doubles, three triples, 11 RBIs, 12 walks and 14 strikeouts in 27 games.

"For me, I take baseball out of the equation," Meadows said. "It's more just your physical health and making sure you're all right. That's the priority right now. Baseball comes second. I have to make sure I'm OK physically. That's what we're worried about now. Once I'm good, I'll be able to prioritize baseball and get back on the field."

Alex Faedo earns third start

Right-hander Alex Faedo, the No. 18 overall pick in 2017, will make his third MLB start Monday against the Rays at Tropicana Field.

Faedo grew up in Tampa.

"He can be around tomorrow on the home taxi squad," Hinch said. "He can't be on the bench for the game, but we're anticipating him being the start for Monday. It'll be Faedo, (Beau) Brieske and Eduardo (Rodriguez) in Tampa."

The 26-year-old has a 3.60 ERA with three walks and eight strikeouts across 10 innings in his big-league career. His last start occurred Tuesday against the Oakland Athletics. He gave up two runs on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in five innings.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers 'going to slow' injured Casey Mize down