Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has clearly left that slow start to the season behind him after Monday’s game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Tigers were looking to get the second leg of their road trip off to a good start with Skubal — the 2024 American League Cy Young winner — on the mound.
Well, he did much more than that. The Tigers won the game, 9-1. Even if the Tigers didn’t have the offense, Skubal would have made sure that the Brewers had no chance.
The right-hander went seven innings, giving up four hits. He didn’t allow a run or a walk and he struck out nine as he claimed his second straight win of the season.
In doing so, Skubal did something that signals the slow start he had to the season is probably in the rear-view mirror.
Per the Tigers’ communication department, he was the first Tigers pitcher since 2000 to have an outing of seven or more innings, give up no walks, strike out nine or more batters and throw no more than 91 pitchers.
Skubal improved to 2-2 with the victory and he was coming off a sharp outing against the New York Yankees, when he gave up four hits in six innings while not allowing a run or a walk with six strikeouts.
His numbers have improved with each game after giving up seven earned runs in his first two starts of the season.
Skubal had an incredible campaign a year ago. He finished the season 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts, winning the American League pitching triple crown. Atlanta’s Chris Sale did the same thing in the National League, as he went 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts.
Both won the Cy Young award in their respective leagues. Skubal became the fifth Tigers pitcher to win the Cy Young, as he joined Max Scherzer (2013), Justin Verlander (2011), Willie Hernández (1984) and Denny McLain (1968 and ’69).
The Tigers drafted him out of Seattle University in 2018. The ninth-round selection moved quickly through the system and made his Majors debut in 2020. He has two more years of team control before he can explore free agency.
The Tigers would be wise to find a way to lock him up before he gets there.
Jack Flaherty, who re-signed with the Tigers in the offseason, will start Tuesday’s game with the Brewers.
