Where Does Detroit Tigers Star Tarik Skubal Rank Among the Aces in MLB?
The Detroit Tigers had a big decision to make with starting pitcher Tarik Skubal ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline. Would they move him, bringing back a king’s ransom worth of assets to continue reshaping their team for the future? Or, would they hold onto him, signaling that they want to climb out of this rebuild sooner than later?
The Tigers ultimately chose the latter, and it was the right decision. Skubal has been excellent, spearheading an awakening from the team post-trade deadline.
Despite a very difficult stretch of 25 straight games against teams over the .500 mark or in the playoff race, Detroit held their own. They went 12-13, but their recent surge has them still with a faint hope of making a playoff run.
Skubal has been a major reason for those playoff hopes remaining alive at all. He has been dominant this season, giving the Tigers a chance to win every time that he steps on the mound.
In 2024, Skubal has made 25 starts, going 14-4 with a 2.49 ERA in 155.1 innings. He has recorded 185 strikeouts and was named to his first All-Star team. The Detroit star currently leads the majors in wins, winning percentage, strikeouts, ERA+ (169), FIP (2.66), and K/9 (10.7).
Given that level of dominance, where does Skubal rank among the aces in baseball this season? In the opinion of Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, he is right at the top. Skubal comes in at No. 1 in his aces power rankings.
That is a ranking that the Detroit star has earned. As Rymer pointed out, he has shown zero signs of slowing down and is actually improving the deeper we get into the season.
“...His ERA has been under 3.00 all year, and no higher than 2.57 after all but one of his starts.
Skubal is also getting stronger as the year goes along, dialing up his velocity and keeping more and more hits off the board. He's surrendered just three in each of his last three starts,” Rymer wrote.
Finishing No. 2 behind Skubal in the rankings was Chris Sale, who has had a career renaissance with the Atlanta Braves this season. It is a ranking that plenty of teams and players around the league would likely agree with.
Ask the Seattle Mariners, who got mowed down by Skubal twice in about a week’s span to put a damper on their playoff hopes. The likely American League Cy Young Award winner, Skubal is someone the Tigers need to lock into a long-term deal as soon as possible.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.