Tarik

Skubal

Well duh. Skubal and Skenes have easily been the best pitchers in baseball this year, and the only way they weren’t going to start the Summer Classic was if they weren’t available. They are, so they will. Skenes has an ERA of 2.01 and 131/30 K/BB ratio in his 121 innings, while Skubal has forged a 153/16 K/BB with a 2.23 ERA. Both pitchers will likely go one inning — possibly two — before giving way to the other deserving hurlers.

Skubal struck out five batters on the evening while issuing a pair of free passes. The M’s scratched out a run against him in the second inning on an RBI “triple” by Donovan Solano that Parker Meadows dove for and couldn’t come up with. They then broke it open with three in the fifth inning including a two-run blast by Julio Rodriguez. The star southpaw got 15 swings and misses on 87 pitches on the evening, registering a CSW of 28 percent. He finishes a terrific first half with a 10-3 record, 2.23 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and a 153/16 K/BB ratio over 121 innings in his 19 starts.

It’s the second consecutive trip to the Midsummer Classic for the 28-year-old southpaw. He’ll be joined on the American League staff by fellow starting pitchers Max Fried, Hunter Brown, Kris Bubic, Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, Yusei Kikuchi, Shane Smith and Bryan Woo. Making the team as relievers are Andres Munoz, Aroldis Chapman and Josh Hader.

Skubal gave up three hits, walked none and struck out 10. It was another dominant effort for the 28-year-old left-hander as he looks to repeat as the American League Cy Young award winner. Skubal didn’t get the win because the Tigers didn’t score until later in the game, but he lowered his ERA to 2.02 on the year. Skubal is lined up to face the Mariners on the road next weekend.

The 28-year-old southpaw allowed just two baserunners in the ballgame — a single into right-center by Ty France in the fifth inning and a one-out walk to Christian Vazquez in the sixth. That’s it, and neither of those runners advanced past first base. Skubal got a whopping 22 swings and misses on 93 pitches in the ballgame — 15 of them on his changeup — while registering an absurd CSW of 45 percent. He hasn’t lost since his second start of the season and now sports a brilliant 10-2 record, 2.15 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and a 138/14 K/BB ratio over 109 innings through his first 17 starts on the season. Best of luck to the Guardians’ hitters that have to face him next Saturday in Cleveland.

The superstar left-hander racked up eight strikeouts on the evening while allowing just one base on balls. That lone walk came to Jacob Wilson, the first hitter of the ballgame, who then rode home on a two-run blast by Brent Rooker before an out had been recorded. Skubal also served up a two-run homer to Denzel Clarke in the second inning before settling in and blanking the A’s for his final four innings. Skubal got 11 swings and misses on 97 pitches on the night — eight of them on his changeup — while posting a CSW of 27 percent. Now 9-2 on the season, Skubal hasn’t suffered a defeat since his second start of the season. He’ll carry a pristine 2.29 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and a 125/13 K/BB ratio (102 innings) into Sunday’s tilt against the Twins.

Skubal wanted to start the first game today, but he might have had some regrets after the beginning of the game was delayed and then wound up starting in the rain anyway. Things did get better as the afternoon went along, and while Skubal didn’t have one of his stronger outings, he was plenty good enough while getting nine runs of support. He’s won eight straight decisions after taking losses in his first two starts this season. He’s due to face the A’s next week.

There was almost zero path to get this contest in based on the forecast around Detroit, which called for some heavy rain later this evening. It’ll be made up as a doubleheader on Thursday instead with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal facing Andrew Heaney in the front-end of the twin bill. It’ll be Paul Skenes taking the ball during the nightcap affair.

The 28-year-old southpaw allowed just three hits on the night and uncharacteristically issued a pair of walks while striking out six. Each of the three hits that he allowed were singles. The only real threat came with two outs in the second inning as Coby Mayo walked and Dylan Carlson followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners, but Skubal battled back to strike out Colton Cowser to silence the threat. Skubal got 14 whiffs on 98 pitches on the night, posting a solid CSW of 29 percent. Now 6-1 on the season, he’ll bring a magnificent 1.99 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and a ridiculous 111/9 K/BB ratio (90 1/3 innings) into Wednesday’s battle against the Pirates.

The Tigers’ ace scattered eight hits on the evening and didn’t walk a batter. The lone tally against him came in the sixth inning as Matt Shaw smacked a leadoff double and scored on a one-out RBI double from Kyle Tucker. Skubal generated 12 swings and misses on 94 pitches on the night — seven of those on his devastating changeup — while registering a CSW of 26 percent. Now 6-2 on the season, he’ll bring a brilliant 2.16 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a ridiculous 105/7 K/BB ratio (83 1/3 innings) into Thursday’s matchup against the Orioles in Baltimore.