Tigers Tarik Skubal Predicted To Win Prestigious Award by Former MLB Executive
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What held Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal back from truly breaking out earlier in his career was an inability to stay on the mound.
Injuries plagued him, keeping him out of the rotation for a stretch of time. There wasn’t a doubt about his talent. It was whether or not he would be able to stay healthy and remain on the mound to dominate. In 2024, with everything coming together, he showcased just how good he can be.
Skubal won the American League Cy Young Award unanimously. He completed the triple crown, leading the league with 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts. His 6.4 bWAR was the best in baseball, along with his wins and strikeouts. An .818 winning percentage, 174 ERA+ and 2.49 FIP all paced the AL.
Tarik Skubal Predicted To Win AL Cy Young Award, Again
What did he have in store for an encore performance? Another award-winning caliber campaign. Selected as the midseason Cy Young Award winner, Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) has predicted that Skubal will win the AL Cy Young Award for the second consecutive year. It could very well be in another landslide, too.
Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox is predicted to finish second, with Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros in third. Skubal is currently battling an issue with his side, but is optimistic he won’t miss much time, if any. Even if he were to be shut down out of an abundance of caution, this award is pretty cinched up already.
He has taken his production to another level in 2025. Through 29 starts, he has a 13-5 record to go along with a 2.26 ERA in 183.1 innings. 224 strikeouts have been recorded, upping his production across the board.
His 0.862 WHIP, 1.4 BB/9 and 8.00 K/BB ratios are all the best in baseball. A 6.2 bWAR and 2.45 FIP are the best in the AL, along with his ERA. He is one of only two pitchers, along with Crochet, who have recorded at least 200 strikeouts in the league; Brown isn’t far off from that mark with 192.
Skubal’s numbers at Baseball Savant are truly mind-boggling. He is in the 100th percentile with a Pitching Run Value of +50. His offspeed run value of +27 is also in the 100th percentile, owning arguably the best pitch in the sport with his changeup. It will be a pleasure to see what he has in store for 2026, if there is another level he can take things to again.
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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.