Tigers Casey Mize Speaks on Tarik Skubal Before Historic and Possibly Last Start
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It is somewhat difficult not to get emotional about the game of baseball, especially when looking at the situation that the Detroit Tigers and their ace Tarik Skubal find themselves in. They are deemed buyers at this trade deadline, but Skubal's value couldn't be higher.
That being said, Skubal could have just played in his last game with the organization that started his career back in 2018 when the Tigers drafted him in the ninth round. He then went on to make his debut in 2020, and the rest is history.
Skubal has been adamant that he wants to stay in Detroit, and who can blame him? He has put his blood, sweat, and tears into this organization and just barely missed the ALCS the past two seasons. The back-to-back Cy Young winner wants to stay with his teammates.
Detroit News sports writer Chris McCosky spoke with Casey Mize before what could have been the last start that Skubal makes in a Tigers uniform:
“I’ve enjoyed every second of being Tarik’s teammate. He’s such a good player and a great person and my best friend. It’s sad to think it would be coming to an end. I’m hoping that’s not the case.”
It is hard not to root for a pair of brothers to stay united until the very end, but Skubal's start against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park somehow raised his stock price going into the trade deadline.
Skubal Further Etched in Tigers’ Organization History After Wednesday
It really is a thing of beauty to watch Skubal and Dillon Dingler together, so it isn't shocking to see the utter dominance that the pair had in what could be the farewell game against the O's.
Going into this one, Skubal was only one strikeout shy of crossing the 1,000 threshold, and it didn't take long for him to get it. In fact, it was the leadoff man, Taylor Ward, despite quickly falling behind 2-0.
A pair of balls started the game, but Skubal worked his way back to a full count. He blew by him with a fastball for the second strike, then, in true Skubal fashion, got him on a really nice changeup for his 1000th K, the 17th member of the Tigers' organization to cross that milestone.
Tarik Skubal becomes the fastest @Tigers pitcher to reach 1,000 career strikeouts 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NZfbdFvREj
— MLB (@MLB) July 29, 2026
But it isn't enough to cross that milestone, but to have done so in the fewest innings pitched. He has been so dominant for this organization since stepping into a primary starting role.
His day ended in the 7th inning and he left the bump for maybe the final time with six strikeouts, one hit, one walk, and one run.
If he is dealt away in the coming days, it will be for a big haul. The Tigers are in desperate need of relief arms, but nobody wants to see him throwing for another team in October, especially Casey Mize.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.