Astros Ace in Pitching Duel of the Year Against Tigers Superstar Tarik Skubal

The Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers are delivering one of the best pitching matchups of the year.

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The Houston Astros are going to be involved in one of the marquee pitching duels of the season on Tuesday night when they try to avenge their series opening loss against the Detroit Tigers.

On Monday night, the Astros were bludgeoned 10-0 in a game where nothing seemed to go right. In an ugly start from Spencer Arrighetti -- which saw him allow seven hits and five runs in five innings -- and an even uglier relief appearance from Tayler Scott, nothing seemed to go right.

Houston managed just five hits in the shutout and were embarrassed at Comerica Park. However, that has a chance to all change in Game 2 with their ace on the mound.

Breakout star Hunter Brown takes the bump to try to even things up, which is the good news. The bad news? They are set to face off against the presumptive soon-to-be repeat American League Cy Young winner and possibly the best pitcher on the planet; Tarik Skubal.

The bats were ineffective against Jack Flaherty, and now the Astros face an even more significant challenge on Tuesday.

Just How Dominant Has Skubal Been For Tigers?

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Skubal was downright incredible last year, but somehow he has been even better in 2025. With an American League-leading 2.42 ERA and 172 ERA+ among starters, he also has MLB's best WHIP at 0.873. His strikeout to walk ratio has been downright absurd at 8.26, while he's walking just 1.4 hitters per nine innings; both figures that lead Major League Baseball.

With an 11-3 record to go alongside 190 strikeouts in 152.1 innings pitched, facing Skubal has meant for almost every team another tally in the loss column.

Brown is not to be overshadowed, though. He's pitched to a 2.45 ERA and a flat 1.00 WHIP, collecting 164 strikeouts of his own in 143 innings pitched with a 10-5 record. Over the last four starts, Brown has a 1.88 ERA. The youngster does not have anywhere near the command of Skubal, but then again, nobody really does.

Though it may already be too late for anyone not named Skubal to win the AL Cy Young Award this year, Brown does have the chance on Tuesday night to do something not many pitchers have been able to do: help his team get a win against the best in baseball.

After the way things went on Monday, it becomes even more critical for Brown to come out and have a tremendous game. Getting one over on Skubal is never easy, but there's not anyone Houston would rather have out there to do it than Brown.