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A Second Cy Young Might Not Be Enough for Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Jul 9, 2025 4:22 PM ET

No one doubts that Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is gunning for his second straight Cy Young Award, but maybe everyone’s thinking a little too small.

Sure, Skubal is in a league with Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh dominating the MVP conversation with their ridiculous power number, but ESPN’s Tim Keown suggested Skubal could also force his way into the American League MVP conversation.

Let’s be real, it will take a hell of a performance down the stretch for a pitcher to elbow his way into the conversation with those big bats. But, if there’s a pitcher to do it, it would be Skubal.

It’s not something we hear every day — or even every decade. Since 1986, only two full-time AL starting pitchers have won the MVP: Roger Clemens in ’86 and Justin Verlander in 2011.

If Skubal keeps doing what he’s doing, he has a shot to join them.

Right now, he’s 10–2 with a 2.02 ERA and 0.81 WHIP, and leads all qualified pitchers in WHIP and strikeout-to-walk ratio. He’s already thrown a 94-pitch shutout this season, capped by a 102.6 mph strikeout pitch, the fastest by a starter in the Statcast era.

But the numbers only tell part of the story. As Keown noted, Skubal changes the Tigers’ entire energy when he takes the mound. He’s not just dominant, he’s dependable, competitive, and he is lifting a team that suddenly looks like a real postseason threat.

If the Tigers stay in the race and Skubal keeps this up, he’s going to force the conversation. Judge may have the power, but Skubal’s making the case that nothing is more valuable than being the heartbeat of a winning team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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