According to a report from USA Today, two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal has told friends he wants to continue his career with the Detroit Tigers.
Skubal has spent all seven years of his professional career with Detroit and is currently playing out the final season of his contract. Many around the league believe he could land the largest free-agent pitching contract in baseball history when he hits the open market.
USA Today reports that Skubal believes the Tigers have a genuine chance to capture the World Series this season. The publication quoted the pitcher as saying, “I’ve never lost faith.”
Detroit has been playing some of its best baseball recently, going 9-2 over its last 11 games. That run has brought the Tigers to within 5 and a half games of both the Chicago White Sox and the Cleveland Guardians, who share first place in the American League Central division.
The 29-year-old Skubal carries a 5-4 record and a 3.06 ERA through 12 starts this season. In 70 and two-thirds innings pitched, he has struck out 84 batters while issuing just 10 walks heading into his scheduled start against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Over the course of his entire career with Detroit dating back to 2020, Skubal has compiled a 59-41 record with a 3.07 ERA in 149 games, including 146 starts. He has racked up 973 strikeouts against only 182 walks across 837 and a third innings of work.
