Detroit’s Tarik Skubal Wins MLB Leading 14th Game as Tigers Pound Mariners

At 57-63, the Detroit Tigers will have to put together some winning streaks if they hope to reach the playoffs, but that’s not the fault of Tarik Skubal. The left hander is putting together a Cy Young Award worthy season. On August 13th, Skubal allowed one run, three hits, and one walk in six innings while striking out nine versus the Seattle Mariners and the Tigers hitters pounded out 20 hits for a 15-1 victory in Detroit.

The 27 year old Skubal is in his fifth major league season. Last year he missed the first half of the season recovering from surgery, but in the second half he was 7-3 with a 2.80 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 15 games, all starts. This year in 24 starts, he is 14-4 with a 2.53 ERA (both stats are MLB leading) and 180 strikeouts, which leads the American League. Skubal’s name came up a lot before the trade deadline, but the pitcher who is clearly the ace of the staff was not dealt. Perhaps the Tigers plan on building a pitching staff around him. Skubal is signed through this year, but is arbitration eligible in 2025, and can be a free agent in 2027. If they want to keep him they’ll have to come up with some big money.