Why This Tarik Skubal Start Carries More Weight Than Any Recent Outing
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The Detroit Tigers dropped the second game of a three-game series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night by a final score of 4-3. With the rubber match set for 6:40 PM EST, the Tigers turn to their ace, Tarik Skubal, in what feels like one of his biggest regular season starts in a long time
Wednesday night will be Skubal's third start since coming off the injured list, and given how his first two starts went against the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox, he's going to need to put out to show potential trade deadline suitors that he's still the same pitcher who's won back-to-back AL Cy Youngs.
In 10.1 innings of work since his return, Skubal has posted a 4.35 ERA, allowing five runs and three home runs. His strikeout numbers are improving, having struck out eight White Sox to bring his total for the month to 12 compared to two walks.
His current June ERA is the highest it's been in a single month since July of 2023, when he made his return following flexor tendon surgery, where he posted a 4.57 ERA in five starts. Funny enough, both months in which Skubal has posted those ERAs have followed injuries.
Back in 2023, following the bloated ERA month, Skubal locked in and built the foundation for what eventually turned him into the best starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. If the Tigers have interest in trading him at the deadline, they need him to show a turnaround on the mound.
Is It Fair To Critique Skubal So Intensely?
There's no doubt that Skubal is still one of the best pitchers in baseball, and with that comes higher expectations when taking the ball on the mound. For the last two seasons, fans have expected the Tigers to win when Skubal is on the mound, which has affected how everyone looks at him every five days.
With Detroit holding such a valuable asset in Skubal on the roster, and with the season going how it has for the Tigers, with many believing they'll be sellers at the trade deadline, examining Skubal's starts now is at an all-time high. Every success, every mistake, every flaw.
If Skubal doesn't have a Skubal-like outing, it will likely impact his trade value, should the Tigers front office look to move him at the deadline. But with how competitive Skubal is, and the improvements he showed against Chicago, the Yankees better be ready for what could be Skubal's final start as a Tiger at Comerica Park.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.