Baseball Meets College Basketball: Cy Young Winner Visits MSU to Support Spartans

The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal, made a stop in East Lansing to support Michigan State men's basketball on Sunday.

Jan 19, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Tigers Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal watches Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

Michigan State got a nice surprise on Sunday, as reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, Tarik Skubal, spent the day at the Breslin Center to support the Spartans in their top-20 showdown with Illinois.

Perhaps Skubal needs to come back to the Spartans' next home game, as they came away victorious in a nailbiter. Coach Tom Izzo showed great compassion for Skubal taking the time to come and show his support to MSU and its basketball program.

"We got a Cy Young winner in our building, it's pretty cool," Izzo said after the game. "What a great guy. He walks into my office wearing Mateen's [Cleaves] jersey. That was great having him there. I appreciated it, and hopefully, the fans do. That's some of the neat things that get to happen to you when you have some success."

Skubal hung out with the Spartans, took some jump shots and free throws, and really accumulated himself with the environment he entered. Taking pictures with MSU fans before the game, Skubal has become one of the more likable guys in Detroit sports.

For the Spartans, they made sure they put on a show. Fighting until the very end, just as Skubal does when he takes the mound for the Tigers, the Spartans' hot streak continued as their 80-78 win may be their biggest on the season.

"Players met him before the game and he was in the locker room after," Izzo said. "I said, 'A little different than baseball, huh?' The whole place was rocking. He was visibly excited; I really appreciate that about him. I think he'll try to come back; I think he enjoyed the experience."

Skubal and the Tigers agreed to a one-year, $10.15-million contract for the 2025 season. Following his Cy Young winning season, many Michiganders have an extensive knowledge of Skubal, now more than ever.

Skubal has been busy this offseason, now crossing MSU off of his "to visit" list. He has visited the Detroit Lions, Detroit Pistons, Detroit Red Wings and now, Spartan basketball. Nearing free agency, fans could speculate that Skubal enjoys his time in Michigan, and especially with his fans.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan NationWHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as wellWHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.