Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal Likely to Start All-Star Game for AL with Max Fried Out
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The Detroit Tigers and their ace left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal are extremely likely to make some history next week in Atlanta.
On Friday early afternoon, news broke that New York Yankees fellow ace Max Fried was going to be held out of the All-Star game and replaced by teammate Carlos Rodon.
The American League team is being managed by Yankees skipper Aaron Boone and Fried was making a return to the city where he spent the first eight years of his career with the Atlanta Braves. Because of this, it was a major question whether or not Skubal or Fried was going to get the nod.
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With Fried set to start this weekend for New York though, the team has made the decision to hold him off the playing roster. This makes it all but a guarantee Skubal is going to become the first Tigers hurler to start an All-Star game since Max Scherzer in 2013 and Justin Verlander in 2012.
The outside factors which left Boone with a very tough call are no longer in play, clearing the path for the absolutely dominating season Skubal has had to get the recognition it deserves.
Though both left-handers have been tremendous, Skubal has been the superior pitcher in the follow up campaign to his unanimous Cy Young 2024 campaign. The big 28-year-old has an absurd American League best 2.02 ERA and MLB best 0.810 WHIP alogn with 148 strikeouts in 116 innings.
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For as ridiculous as Skubal was in 2024, he has been even better in 2025 and established himself beyond any shadow of a doubt as the best pitcher on the planet.
Starting an All-Star game in a Detroit uniform puts Skubal in the same category of some of the most legendary starting pitchers to grace the Motor City.
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Assuming it does indeed happen, it is beyond well deserved for the face of the Tigers franchise right now and the emotional leader of this very special team.
Skubal is set for one last audition on Friday night and getting the ball in the series opener against the Seattle Mariners in Detroit as the Tigers go for their 60th win of the season.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.