Farewell Tarik Skubal by Detroit Tigers
“I want to live in the moment. There’s a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control in. I try to be pretty present all the time. And when the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it’s special. It’ll never not be special, and it’s something I’ve always appreciated. And hopefully they feel the same way. Hopefully they feel like I’ve given everything to the team, to the city, because I truly have.” -Tarik Skubal, after his 1000th strikeout
I am one of the many fans who thinks that back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal has pitched his last game for the Detroit Tigers, and I am going to process by disappointment by telling you all of the accomplishments of one of the greatest left hand pitchers in Tiger history.
- 2-time Cy Young Winner (2024 & 2025) – fun fact: 3 of the 12 back-to-back winners in history are Tigers – Skubal, Max Scherzer & Denny McClain!
- 2024 Pitching AL Triple Crown winner (2024) led the league in wins, strikeouts & ERA, joining Justin Verlander (2011) & Hal Newhouser (1945)
- Fastest Tiger pitcher in history to 1000 career strikeouts – 857 innings, topping Max Scherzer (944 innings) & 5th fastest lefthander to the mark in MLB history
- 2-time MLB All Star & 2-time Tiger of the Year
- Lifetime 61–42 record, 3.04 earned run average
A damn shame to lose him, and an even bigger shame to see him leave in the 7th with a 7-0 lead, only to watch the Tigers snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, losing in 12 innings. Maybe a better team can use him better.
Yeah I’m not a fan of the pitching chaos era, but I guess you have to work with what you have.