DETROIT >> Casey Mize knows this one is different.

Yes, it’s the same left hamstring that put him on the shelf for two months last season. But, no, the strain isn’t nearly as severe.

“Yeah, way more minor,” Mize said on Sunday, the day after he was placed on the 15-day injured list. “Just how I’m feeling, how I’m moving; I’m not stepping away from anything other than pitching in a game this week.

“I feel good.”

Mize felt the hamstring pinch in the sixth inning of his win in Colorado Thursday. Unlike last year, he was able to finish the inning. He threw on flat ground the day after and he threw again before the game Sunday.

“We got it checked out after the game and it was confirmed there was a strain, but very mild, very minor,” Mize said. “It’s one of those things where we just felt like this was the right move. Be more conservative because it’s May.

“If it was September, we may not be having this conversation. I’m not overly concerned that it’ll be too long.”

The perfect scenario would be a minimum stay on the IL, miss two turns through the rotation and come back. But, Mize said, there could be a rehab start involved before he gets back.

“I’m not sure what the rehab schedule is going to look like,” he said. “I’m going to continue throwing.

I’m not shutting down my arm moving at all. I’m even doing my normal prep work and my routine is the same, only with the added rehab stuff.

“All that is positive. If there is something else involved, like a rehab start, it’s not going to be a long thing.”

Mize hopes he can throw a bullpen sometime next week.

“I was throwing the ball well, so this comes at a weird time,” he said. “I obviously don’t want to miss any start. But we’re not looking at months here.”

Z-Mac’s the answer

Zach McKinstry hadn’t played shortstop since Opening Day in Los Angeles when he entered as a pinch-hitter late in the game. Yet, manager AJ Hinch had no trepidation whatsoever about starting him there Sunday.

“He’s been taking ground balls a lot, so it’s not like the work hasn’t been there,” Hinch said. “It’s one of the great strengths of this team.

We can make all these decisions, weigh the pros and cons and wherever it spits out, Z-Mac goes.

“He can play anywhere.”

This decision started with Trey Sweeney needing a day off. He’d played in 39 of the club’s first 40 games and started the last 20, including both ends of the doubleheader in Colorado Thursday.

“Ideally, you want to wait for a different matchup,” Hinch said, noting that Rangers’ Sunday starter Nathan Eovaldi was no picnic for any hitter. “But we’re facing all right-handed pitching through this homestand and all right-handed pitching in Toronto and St. Louis.”

This will at least give the lefty-swinging Sweeney a blow before facing that onslaught.

The other decision point for Hinch and his staff was possibly moving Javier Baez back to shortstop for this start. But Baez has become invaluable as the regular center fielder.

“Javy’s done a tremendous job in the outfield, making that adjustment,” Hinch said. “He’s playing as flawless defensively as you could expect. That combined with being able to move Riley Greene to the corner (left field) … the way it all placed out led me to Z-Mac back at shortstop.

“It doesn’t mean Javy is not coming back to short.

I will do that again. I just don’t know when.”

Vierling update

Matt Vierling, who has been out all season with a shoulder injury, started in right field Sunday for the first time in his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.

It’s an important step.

“He’s going to play a couple of days in the field, then have a DH day and then we will introduce third base and outfield (in the same game),” Hinch said. “We’re slowly but effectively trying to mirror what he’s going to do when he comes back.”

Vierling already had 15 plate appearances entering play Sunday and had two homers.

The way Hinch outlined his schedule, it seems likely Vierling will stay on rehab at least until May 19.

There’s no official return date, but the homestand beginning May 22 looks like a real possibility.

“We will gather information along the way and decide how long he needs to rehab,” Hinch said.

Rogers ready

On Saturday, catcher Jake Rogers (oblique) completed his base running drills and also made throws to second and third base with Hinch watching.

On Friday, he caught righthander Alex Cobb’s two-inning live bullpen.

“Release me to the wolves,” Rogers said when asked about starting a rehab assignment.

“I don’t know when, but pretty soon. I’m feeling good.”

Hinch, too, seemed optimistic that Rogers could be heading out soon.

“The throwing he did was as impressive as any session that he’s had,” Hinch said.

“And that’s a good sign.

He’s going to do some hitting (Sunday) and hopefully we can talk about what these plans look like going into next week.

“I was encouraged to see him throw with complete freedom from a couple different angles to all bases.”