How Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal is Managing Workload For Postseason Run

Skubal didn't just come out of the gate as the best pitcher in baseball. At 24 years old, in his first full season, the left-hander threw 149.1 innings with a 4.34 ERA and was just below league average. Over the next couple years, he steadily got better, but never surpassed 150 innings until the breakout in 2024.

"I had to learn the hard way, where I didn't adjust and I ran myself too far into the red, and that's when you get hurt," Skubal said to The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen.

The two time All-Star's early career was marked by injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery in college before missing chunks of 2022 and 2023 after tearing a flexor tendon.

"That's when your performance starts to decline, too. I'd look back at outings in 2021 or 2022 and I'd be throwing 89 (mph). And there's no reason I should be throwing a baseball 89 mph as a 24-year-old," Skubal said of his health and conditioning.

Even when a pitcher is waiting for his next turn in the rotation, he isn't just sitting around. Pitchers are still lifting, running, playing catch and throwing bullpens. They're still in baseball mode, wanting to get better no matter what form it comes in.

He noticed it taking more and more of a toll after starts.

"I remember walking in (the training room) and saying, 'Hey guys, I'm not recovering at the rate I was,'" the lefty said.

So, Skubal sat down with the staff to figure something out. That something was just easing off his work between starts. He implemented it after last year's All-Star break, and it helped him achieve his first Cy Young.

According to Stavenhangen, Skubal's workout is as follows: the day after a start, he does mobility work, light throwing and a massage. The next day, he throws long toss, a bullpen and works on his "shoulder program." The third day is just playing catch for five minutes before doing a workout, springs and visualization exercises off the mound.

"I like to at least touch (the mound), even if it's for five throws," the 28-year-old explained.

It isn't an exact science, though. Last year it was after the All-Star break. This year, it was early on in the year. Skubal says that anytime he feels more tired after a start than usual, he knows it's time to take a little more off the workouts.

Just like last season, Detroit will rely on its ace to carry them to and through the postseason and be the dominant force that he's been since 2024 began. He knows from experience what he has to do in order to keep healthy for an entire season, and will continue to do so in order to help the Tigers win.