If there were an Academy Award for the year's best pitching performance, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal surely sewed it up Sunday.
The 28-year-old southpaw dazzled against the Cleveland Guardians, striking out 13 and allowing just two hits in a 5–0 complete-game shutout. He seemed to get more effective as the game went on, striking out Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias on a 102.6-mph fastball to end the game.
When the dust settled on Skubal's opus, the reigning American League Cy Young winner took a moment to acknowledge how far he's come.
"You get a little teary eyed out there, honestly," Skubal said after the game via Cody Stavenhagen of about fans chanting his name before the ninth inning. "I just thought to myself 12-year-old me wouldn’t believe (there) was an opportunity to have a fanbase support you the way it does and be in that moment."
Skubal made a quantum leap from 2023 to 2024; last year, he went 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts to win the AL's Triple Crown. This year, he is as good if not better: he leads the AL in FIP and strikeouts per nine innings and leads the majors in walks per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
There is, all told, a reason why the Tigers have the best record in their league.
