This Tarik Skubal Stat Should Give Guardians Hope In ALDS Game 5

Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers hasn't been the same pitcher on four days of rest. The Cleveland Guardians will look to capitalize on this in ALDS Game 5.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks back towards the dugout before Game 2 of ALDS against Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tarik Skubal has been baseball's best starting pitcher all season long. The Cleveland Guardians were reminded of this in Game 2 of the ALDS when he blanked them in seven innings and even took a perfect game into the fifth inning.

Now, the Guardians will face Skubal on the mound again in a winner-take-all Game 5 on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers. However, he is human, and there is one stat that should give the Guardians hope as they prepare to face the likely Cy Young pitcher twice in the same week.

When Skubal pitches on short rest, he isn't nearly the same pitcher he is when getting five or more days in between starts. Skubal has a .311 ERA, 1.005 WHIP, and a .618 opponent OPS on four days of rest this season.

This is still very, very good and shows the elite pitcher he is. But it also shows that he isn't perfect and has flaws in his game as well.

The Guardians are still preparing to face Skubal, and they intend that he'll be 100 percent even though he's pitching on short rest. Cleveland skipper Stephen Vogt said on Friday what makes him such a tough pitcher to face.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks out of the dugout for warm up before Game 2 of ALDS against Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"His stuff, his demeanor, his confidence. He can throw pitches at any time to any part of the zone. He can add, subtract. He can move, shape the ball differently. He's just a premier pitcher with elite stuff, and we got our work cut out for us," said Vogt

Something has to give in Game 5. Will the Guardians be able to build on their Game 4 success, or will Skubal go aganst the stats and put together another domainant performance.