Tarik Skubal

Tarik Daniel Skubal

Bats Right, Throws Left
Height 6' 3", Weight 215 lb.
School Seattle University
High School Kingman Academy
Debut August 18, 2020

Born November 20, 1996 in Hayward, CA USA

Biographical Information[edit]

Tarik Skubal was rafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 9th round of the 2018 amateur draft, out of Seattle University, one year after having been taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 29th round of the 2017 amateur draft. He reached the majors quickly, making his debut during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, going 1-4, 5.63 in 8 games, including 7 starts. He then spent all of 2021 with Detroit, going 8-12, 4.34 in 31 games. He led the team in wins and finished just one inning behind Casey Mize with 149 1/3.

Skubal missed time over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, making 21 and 15 starts respectively, but when he was able to pitch he was very good, going 7-8, 3.52 the first year and 7-3, 2.80 the second. He was the American League Pitcher of the Month in September of 2023 when he put up an ERA of 0.90 with 43 Ks in 30 innings that month to win the first significant award of his career. After finishing the year on such a strong note, he was often mentioned as a candidate for a break-out season in 2024, and he did not disappoint in April, as he went 4-0, 1.72 in six starts after being Detroit's Opening Day starter on March 28th. He defeated the Chicago White Sox, 1-0, that day, and went from strength to strength, finishing the month with a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on April 28th. This left little doubt that he was now the Tigers' ace and one of the top starting pitchers in the majors. He went 10-3, 2.41 in 19 first-half starts to earn a spot on the All-Star team, but as he entered the second half of the season, rumors were swirling around his name as he was likely to most accomplished pitcher that could potentially be snapped up by a contender in a trading deadline deal. His first start after the break was in line with his season thus far, as he gave up just 1 run in 7 innings against the Cleveland Guardians on July 22nd to earn an 8-2 win. He won his 15th game of the year on August 24th by defeating the Chicago White Sox, 13-4, making him the first pitcher in the majors to reach the mark. On August 31st, he set another mark, becoming the first pitcher in the majors to record 200 strikeouts; in that game, a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox, he pitched into the 8th inning for the first time of his career and recorded 8 Ks in as many frames to give him 201 for the season. He was leading the American League in all three Triple Crown categories with one month to go. He ended up accomplishing the feat finishing first in the AL in wins (18), strikeout (228) and ERA (2.39). he was the first pitcher to accomplish the feat since Shane Bieber had done so in the shortened 2020 season, and the first to do so in a full season since Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw had done so in both leagues in 2011. He also led the AL in winning percentage (.818), finishing at 18-4 in 31 starts and 192 innings.

Skubal was outstanding in his first two postseason starts. In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros on October 1st, he pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits, and received credit for a 3-1 win. On October 7th, he started Game 2 of the Division Series, again on the road, after the Tigers had lost Game 1 to the Cleveland Guardians. He turned in another masterful performance, with seven scoreless innings this time, allowing just 3 hits and no walks while striking out eight. the game was still scoreless when he left, but a dramatic three-run homer by Kerry Carpenter in the top of the 9th gave them a 3-0 win, evening the series. His next start was another big one, as he was starting for the Tigers in the decisive Game 5 of the series, on October 12th. He lasted 6 innings but gave up 5 runs and was charged with the 7-3 loss that eliminated Detroit from further contention. Following the season he was named the winner of the 2024 American League Cy Young Award by unanimous vote. The announcement came on his 28th birthday.

To no one's surprise, Tarik was named the Tigers' Opening Day starting pitcher for 2025, the second consecutive year he had been given the honor. It was not going to be a routine start, as his opponents on March 27th were none other than the defending World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had already started their season with a couple of games played at the Tokyo Dome a week earlier, and on the road at Dodger Stadium too. He lost that game, 5-4, and his next start as well, but soon found his groove as he was undefeated in his next nine starts. One thing he had not accomplished in his Cy Young season was to pitch either a complete game or a shutout, but he struck that off his bucket list on May 25th when he accomplished the feat against the Cleveland Guardians. Moreover, the 5-0 win was a "Maddux", as he needed just 94 pitches to complete the 9 innings - and yet managed to strike out 13 batters in the two-hitter. The win improved his record to 5-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.49. He ended up winning ten straight games, improving to 10-2 with a 3-0 win over the Minnesota Twins on June 29th. That gave him a perfect month of June, in which he went 5-0 in 5 starts. He was named to the American League roster for the 2025 All-Star Game, but in his last start before the contest on July 11th, suffered only his third loss of the season, 12-3 to the Seattle Mariners, who had also been the last team to beat him, back on April 2nd. In spite of that blip, he was named the starting pitcher for the AL at the All-Star Game. He gave up a run in his inning of work at the Midsummer Classic, played at Truist Park on July 15th, then put together a great performance in his first start of the second half against the Texas Rangers on July 20th, striking out 11 in 6 2/3 innings while giving up just a run on 4 hits. He ended up with a no-decision, but Detroit won, 2-1, to be the first team in the majors to 60 wins that year. He reached 200 strikeouts for the second straight year on August 19th; he was the first pitcher in the majors to reach the mark that season. He finished the season at 13-6, 2.21, winning his second straight ERA title and finishing second in the AL behind Garrett Crochet with 241 strikeouts. He had one of his best outings ever in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on the road against the Guardians on September 30th, as he limited them to 3 hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out a career-high 14 batters while walking 3. The only run he allowed in the 2-1 win came in an inning when the ball did not leave the infield. He tied the franchise record for most strikeouts in a postseason game, set by Joe Coleman in the 1972 ALCS. He made two mlore starts in the Division Series against the Seattle Mariners, and while he pitched well, allowing just 3 runs on 7 hits in 13 innings, with a 22/1 K/W ratio, he ended up with a no-decision both times. After the season, he was named the winner of the Cy Young Award for a second straight year. He was the first American League pitcher to win the award in consecutive years since Pedro Martinez had done so in 1999 and 2000.

He pitched for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, although he made just one start, against the United Kingdom on March 7th (thus depriving the team of their #2 hurler after Paul Skenes and forcing them to go to young Nolan McLean in the finale, which they lost as a result), after which he returned to spring training with the Tigers, in a move that was previously agreed. He started the 2026 season strong, going 3-2, 2.70 in his first 7 starts, but he was scratched from a scheduled start on May 4th after he had left his final start, against the Atlanta Braves on April 29th shaking his left arm and grabbing his elbow. It had been a strong start, with 7 innings of two-run ball, and at first it looked like he would not skip a beat, but it was announced that he would undergo surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow. There was a chance he would return before the end of the season, but this was a very unfortunate development for the Tigers as it was the final year of his contract, and he was expected to leave the team via free agency after the season.

Notable Achievements[edit]

2-time AL All-Star (2024 & 2025)
2-time AL Cy Young Award Winner (2024 & 2025)
2024 AL Pitcher's Triple Crown
2-time AL ERA Leader (2024 & 2025)
AL Wins Leader (2024)
AL Winning Percentage Leader (2024)
AL Strikeouts Leader (2024)
AL Shutouts Leader (2025)
15 Wins Seasons: 1 (2024)
200 Strikeouts Seasons: 2 (2024 & 2025)

AL Cy Young Award
2023	2024	2025
Gerrit Cole	Tarik Skubal	...Tarik Skubal
2024	2025	2026
Tarik Skubal	Tarik Skubal	tbd

Related Sites[edit]

Tarik Skubal on mlb.com

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Tarik Skubal

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