Tigers Superstar Puts Spring Training, WBC Behind Him Ahead of Opening Day
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Friday marked the end of spring training for the Detroit Tigers’ top starting pitcher.
Tarik Skubal made his final spring training start against the Philadelphia Phillies. It wasn't his sharpest outing. He gave up six hits and four runs (three earned) in four innings. He did strike out five and walked none. He got up to 73 pitches, 54 of which were strikes.
That puts him in perfect position to be ready to make his scheduled opening day start for Detroit on March 26 against the San Diego Padres.
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As he spoke to reporters after the game, the left-hander sounded like a pitcher who is ready to put an eventful spring training behind him.
“The WBC stuff, it’s over,” he said to Cody Stavehagen of The Athletic (subscription required). “I’m ready to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers and try to win a World Series this year.”
Tarik Skubal’s Eventful Spring Training
Skubal agreed to pitch for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic in December. In the ramp-up to spring training, he won his salary arbitration hearing, which yielded the largest single-season salary for a pitcher in the history of the process. He’ll make $32 million in 2026, his last season before free agency.
Then, he stunned many by revealing that he would only pitch one game for Team USA in the WBC. This was the approach that he, the Tigers and Team USA officials agreed to — until Skubal nearly changed his mind.
After he made his start against Great Britain, he said he was overcome by the emotions of playing for his country and said he might re-think the approach and pitch in another game. He ultimately opted to return to spring training, but he made trips to join Team USA for the semifinal game and the championship game to be a part of the team.
Finished the spring with a 1-0 record and a 3.95 ERA in four starts. He struck out 17 and walked one in 13.2 innings. But he allowed six earned runs and batters hit .273 against him. Still, he looks ready to roll and he’ll be well rested. Detroit breaks camp in Lakeland, Fla., on Saturday and stops in Arizona to play two more spring training games against Colorado on Monday and Tuesday. From there, the Tigers open the regular season on Thursday against the Padres.
The reigning AL Cy Young winner enters the season shooting to join a handful of pitchers that have won three of the awards and to become the third pitcher to win at least three Cy Youngs in a row.
He has been brilliant the past two seasons. In 2024 he went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts as he won the American League pitching triple crown. That helped him win his first Cy Young and finish seventh in AL MVP voting.
Last year his won-loss record wasn’t quite as good, as he went 13-6. But he bettered his 2024 season other respects, including a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts. He won his second Cy Young and finished fifth in AL MVP voting.
Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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