Tarik Skubal confirmed his greatness in 2025.
The left-handed ace for the Detroit Tigers gained his second consecutive American League Cy Younger Award on Wednesday, outpointing Boston Purple Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet and Houston Astros right-hander Hunter Brown in voting carried out by the Baseball Writers Affiliation of America.
Skubal turns into the primary pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Younger Awards since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19 and the primary AL pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000.
Skubal completed 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts in 195⅓ innings, main the AL in each Baseball-Reference WAR (6.5) and FanGraphs WAR (6.6) whereas additionally main certified pitchers in ERA, strikeout price (32.2%), lowest stroll price (4.4%), OBP allowed (.240) and OPS allowed (.559).
Utilizing a blistering fastball that averaged practically 98 mph and top-of-the-line changeups within the recreation that restricted batters to a .154 common and registered 110 of his strikeouts, Skubal didn’t quit a run in 12 of his 31 begins, probably the most scoreless begins of at the least six innings in Tigers historical past and probably the most within the majors since Adam Wainwright in 2014.
Skubal recorded double-digit strikeouts in 10 outings and pitched probably the most dominant recreation within the majors in 2025 when he pitched a two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians on Could 25, requiring solely 94 pitches. His recreation rating of 96 was the perfect within the AL in 2025 and matched Sonny Grey for highest within the majors.
A ninth-round select of Seattle College in 2018, Skubal had Tommy John surgical procedure in school and a few accidents early in his MLB profession after reaching the majors in 2020, however with good well being and improved fastball command, put all the things collectively the previous two seasons, going 31-10 with a 2.30 ERA whereas main the AL each seasons in ERA.
However his season resulted in disappointment when for the second straight 12 months he began Sport 5 of the American League Division Collection, solely to see the Tigers lose each video games. This postseason, in opposition to Seattle, he gave up one run in six innings with 13 strikeouts and left with a 2-1 lead, however the Mariners ultimately gained 3-2 in 15 innings.
Skubal has one season left till he reaches free company. If the Tigers cannot signal him to an extension — his agent is Scott Boras, and Boras purchasers not often signal extensions this near free company — the Tigers would possibly entertain commerce potentialities this offseason.
He’s one in every of 5 Detroit pitchers to win the Cy Younger Award, becoming a member of Denny McLain (1968 and 1969), reliever Willie Hernandez (1984), Justin Verlander (2011) and Max Scherzer (2013).