Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal will take the ball for Game 5 of their ALDS series against the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. Skubal tossed a seven-inning gem on Monday in Game 2 and will be pitching on full rest Saturday. The Tigers will likely get as much as they can out of the triple-crown winner, who has only thrown 92 and 88 pitches in his two postseason starts. He will surely go over the century mark in this one if he is pitching well. The Guardians are yet to name their starter, but whoever they pick will have to be on their A-game to match Skubal.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (calf) is set to start Game 2 of the ALDS against the Cleveland Guardians. Skubal was dominant in his postseason debut on Tuesday against the Houston Astros despite dealing with calf cramping, pitching six shutout innings while striking out six. Skubal faced Cleveland just once this season and gave up 10 hits to the Guardians in July, though those 10 hits only yielded one run. The likely AL Cy Young winner has been very good against current Guardians hitters, who have only hit him for a .278 wOBA in 63 plate appearances. Only Jose Ramirez has had much success against Skubal when he's faced the Guardians, going 9-for-21 with three doubles and a triple against him. Skubal will be a must-start on Sunday in all DFS formats, though, and DFS managers shouldn't worry much about his 10-hit outing in July being replicated in October. If the 27-year-old can limit production from Ramirez, then it should be smooth sailing for Skubal and the Tigers.
MLive's Evan Woodbery expects Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal to pitch Games 2 and 5 of the American League Division Series against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Although it's unlikely, short-rest starts would allow Skubal, the pitching Triple Crown winner in the American League this year, to pitch in Game 1 and Game 3, plus Game 1 of a potential AL Championship Series on normal rest. Skubal, the front-runner for the AL Cy Young award, threw 88 pitches in the Game 1 win over the Houston Astros in the Wild-Card series on Tuesday. He worked exclusively on regular rest throughout the regular season, which makes him unlikely to start Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday on short rest. Skubal has already thrown 198 innings in 2024, 50 more than his previous career-high, so using him on short rest in the playoffs would bring added risk.
Tarik Skubal Tosses Six Scoreless Innings For Game 1 Wild-Card Win
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal dealt with several health scares but earned the win in Tuesday's Game 1 wild-card 3-1 game against the Astros. Skubal pitched six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and a walk with six strikeouts. The 27-year-old lefty took a comebacker off the base of his glove hand in the second inning and worked through cramping in the sixth inning. Skubal became just the third pitcher in Tigers history to post a scoreless outing of six or more innings in his postseason debut. This followed a regular season where he led the American League in ERA, wins, and strikeouts. Skubal emerged as a fantasy ace this season and will look to continue into the playoffs.
It was a fantastic season for Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal in 2024, as he finished first in the American League in wins (18), strikeouts (228) and ERA (2.39). Skubal has led the Tigers to a surprising postseason berth and is the overwhelming favorite to win the AL Cy Young. He is the first pitcher to win the Triple Crown since Shane Bieber in the COVID-shortened season of 2020. Skubal is the first pitcher to earn the Triple Crown in a full season since 2011, when both Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw did it. He became the 21st pitcher to win the pitching Triple Crown since earned runs became official in both leagues in 1913. Skubal also became the third pitcher in franchise history to win the TC, joining Verlander (2011) an Hal Newhouser (1945). He also joined Verlander (2007, 2009-11) and Max Scherzer (2013-14) as the only Tigers pitchers since 2000 to win 18 or more games in a season.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said on Thursday that it's "unlikely" that left-hander Tarik Skubal would pitch in the season finale on Sunday versus the division-rival Chicago White Sox if the Tigers have already clinched a postseason berth but are still playing for seeding. Skubal is the front-runner for the Cy Young award in the American League this year, but the Tigers would rather save him for the first game of the wild-card series next week if they punch their ticket to the playoffs before Skubal's next turn in the rotation on Sunday. The 27-year-old southpaw has been an absolute beast on the mound this year for Detroit, leading the league in wins (18), win percentage (.818), ERA (2.39), strikeouts (228), ERA+ (170) and FIP (2.49) in 192 innings over 31 starts. Whichever team lines up to face the red-hot Tigers is going to find it difficult to produce offense against Skubal in Game 1 if the Tigers make the playoffs.
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that left-hander Tarik Skubal's right hand checked out fine and he will start the third game in the upcoming series versus the division-rival Kansas City Royals next Wednesday. Skubal, one of the front-runners for the American League Cy Young in 2024, bruised his right (non-throwing) hand in his last outing on Thursday against the Colorado Rockies, but he still managed to throw six innings, allowing an earned run with no walks and six strikeouts in a no-decision. The matchup is a difficult one against the rising Royals next week, but Skubal has been matchup-proof all year and needs to be locked into starting lineups next week. The 27-year-old lefty has been lights-out in a breakout year, going 16-4 with a league-leading 2.50 ERA (2.56 FIP) while also leading the league with 214 strikeouts in 180 innings over 29 starts.
Initial X-rays on Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal's right hand came back negative after he was hit on his non-throwing hand by a comebacker in the sixth inning on Wednesday against the Colorado Rockies at Comerica Park in a 4-2 loss, according to manager A.J. Hinch. Skubal will go for additional tests. The 27-year-old southpaw finished his outing after being hit in the hand and allowed only one earned run on four hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out six in the no-decision. It's unclear if the Tigers would have sent Skubal back out for the seventh inning against Colorado, if not for his hand injury. Skubal has been a first-time All-Star in 2024 and has had a Cy Young-caliber campaign, as he entered Thursday's contest with a 16-4 record while leading the league with a 2.53 ERA and 2.54 FIP with a career-high 208 K's in 174 innings over 28 starts. He should be able to make his next start.
Tarik Skubal Wins 16th, Strikes Out 200th Hitter In 2024
Detroit Tigers star lefthander Tarik Skubal won his 16th game Saturday afternoon, a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox. In the process, Skubal also became the first major league pitcher to record 200 strikeouts in 2024. Skubal went eight innings, striking out eight batters and surrendering only one run, a first-inning home run to Tyler O'Neill. On the year, the veteran is 16-4 with a 2.51 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, and 201 strikeouts in 168 innings. Skubal has become one of the best starting pitchers in baseball this season.
Tarik Skubal Solid Against Yankees, Could Have Workload Managed
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal was solid against the New York Yankees on Sunday, tossing six innings of one-run ball in a no-decision. Skubal allowed just three hits and struck out five, but his control was a little off as he walked four. The Cy Young favorite hasn't shown any signs of slowing down and now has a 2.49 ERA and 0.93 WHIP on the season to go with 185 strikeouts in 155 IP. The last part of that might be the tricky part for the Tigers, though, as Skubal is at a career-high in innings pitched and the team is not in the running for a wild card spot. Manager AJ Hinch said postgame that Skubal could get extra days of rest from now on, but he also insinuated that they won't put a pitch count limit on him. That is good news for fantasy managers, as fewer overall starts are preferable to shortened outings.
Tarik Skubal
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Tigers
