Detroit Tigers Ace Looking To Make Major League Baseball History With This Feat
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been the best pitcher in baseball throughout the 2024 campaign.
Comfortably in the lead to win the American League Cy Young Award, Skubal has been a big reason why the Tigers have found the success they have lately.
With Detroit still in a position to make the postseason, he'll be needed more than ever down the stretch if they're going to earn a Wild Card spot.
The same could be said for himself, as the left-hander is looking to accomplish a feat that's only been done 29 times in Major League Baseball history by winning the Triple Crown.
Not counting pitchers who've done so more than once, Skubal would be joining an elite list of very few pitchers in baseball history.
The California native currently leads the American League in wins, ERA, and strikeouts, but he's not comfortably leading this race with multiple pitchers closely behind him in the wins and strikeouts categories.
Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report broke down how close this race is.
"The last pitcher to win a Triple Crown—leading his league in wins, ERA and strikeouts—was Shane Bieber during the shortened 2020 season. Before that, it was way back in 2011 when Justin Verlander was also the AL MVP winner for the Detroit Tigers. Now it's another Tigers hurler threatening to accomplish that feat. Left-hander Tarik Skubal currently has a commanding lead over Framber Valdez (2.97) in ERA, but things are much closer in the other two categories. Entering play on Sunday, he had one more win than José Berríos and Seth Lugo, and four more strikeouts than Cole Ragans."
It could come down to the wins, depending on how many games Skubal throws compared to Jose Berrios. Regarding strikeouts and ERA, he's been dominant on the mound, so that shouldn't be too much of an issue unless Cole Ragans has a performance with 12-plus strikeouts.
Skubal's strikeout numbers have been impressive, ringing up at least seven hitters in seven of his last nine starts.
With the Tigers still in the playoff race, Skubal should have an opportunity to make his last few starts.
The front office and coaching staff could decide to shut him down if they fall out of the playoff picture, but with him having an opportunity to win the Triple Crown, it'd make sense to let him continue pitching.
Whether he accomplishes the rare feat or not, it's been an excellent showing from the future AL Cy Young winner.
JON CONAHAN