Detroit Tigers Boss On Ace: ‘I Think He Should Win’ Cy Young
Wednesday night was just another night at the office for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
The left-hander only went five innings, but he was as efficient as ever, as he gave up one run and three hits while he struck out seven Kansas City Royals in a 4-2 victory.
He improved his record to 17-4 and trimmed his ERA to 2.48. It only reinforced the point that his manager, A.J. Hinch, made to MLB Network before the game.
“Obviously he is the front runner for the Cy Young (award),” Hinch said. “I think he should win it.”
Skubal leads the American League in victories, ERA and strikeouts (221), and when it comes to wins and strikeouts the rest of the field isn’t particularly close. Along with the potential for a Cy Young, he could also win the pitching triple crown in the AL.
Right now the only pitcher in baseball that is his equal is Chris Sale in Atlanta, who also leads that league in wins and ERA. He’s just behind Dylan Cease in strikeouts.
If Skubal is able to win the award, he would become the fifth Detroit pitcher to claim the award and the last to do so since Max Scherzer in 2013. Denny McLain won it twice.
It’s hard to believe there was actually talk about the Tigers dealing the 27-year-old at the deadline, in part because he is getting closer to free agency in 2027.
Detroit didn’t deal him and has chosen to try and build around him with a young core of players that is considered among the best in baseball.
“He is a frontline starter and when you have those, you want him to pitch every five or six days because he is somebody who can anchor a staff,” Hinch said.
The Tigers drafted him out of Seattle University in 2018. The ninth-round selection moved quickly through the system and made his Majors debut in 2020. This season isn’t just a potential award-winning season for him — it’s a breakthrough season. He hadn’t won more than eight games in a season before, which came in 2021.
To Hinch, Skubal’s rise is an example of what the Detroit organization can do with developing pitching.
“He’s really emerged because of elite strike throwing and plus-plus-plus stuff, however you want to say it,” Hinch said. “He has the demeanor and work ethic to match. So when he’s going to the mound our entire organization thinks we’re going to win.”
Skubal helped the Tigers sweep the Royals and, after an off-day on Thursday, will start a series with Baltimore on Friday no worse than a game out of the final AL wild card spot.
MATT POSTINS