Advanced Stats Defend Detroit Tigers Starting Pitcher Being Team MVP

Advanced statistics have defended the team MVP for the Detroit Tigers being their talented starting pitcher.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch against the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. / David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Tigers are seeking to finish the 2024 season on a positive note after a year with some ups and downs. 

With September closing in and the baseball season nearing the playoffs, the Tigers are hovering right around the .500 mark. While some franchises might be disappointed with that record, it has been a good season for Detroit in 2024 with some bright spots to look forward to in the future. 

Arguably, the biggest bright spot for the Tigers this season has been the emergence of Tarik Skubal as one of the best pitchers in all the majors. 

Despite making his debut for Detroit in 2020, Skubal didn’t really find his form until this season. Thanks to a strong first half of the season, Skubal was named to his first All-Star Game, and he did an excellent job not letting potential trade rumors affect his great year. 

Recently, Joel Rueter of Bleacher Report wrote about Skubal being the best player on the team, which was backed up by him having the highest WAR rating as well. 

“The 27-year-old has led the charge for a Tigers' rotation that has been a pleasant surprise, and he leads the AL in all three pitching Triple Crown categories with 14 wins, a 2.49 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 155.1 innings."

"Not only is he personally 14-4 on the year, but the Tigers have gone 17-8 in the 25 games that Skubal has started this year. For a team with a 61-65 record overall, that is a significant swing in their favor when he is on the hill.”

Skubal has checked all the boxes so far this season to be the winner of the AL Cy Young Award when the season is completed. He leads all baseball in ERA at 2.49 and is also tied for the lead in wins with 14. 

In a day and age where the advanced metrics mean a lot more than the traditional win/loss record and ERA, Skubal has the highest WAR on his team, beating out Riley Greene. Furthermore, he also has the highest WAR among starting pitchers in baseball, according to baseball reference. 

Despite the Tigers being a young team in a rebuild, Skubal has found a way to have an excellent year. While it is hard to predict what the future will hold for Skubal in Detroit in the long-term, he has certainly proven in 2024 that he is the team MVP.