All Signs Point to Tigers Ace Getting the Ball on All-Star Night

It is all but official now. With Max Fried removed from the American League All-Star roster and replaced by Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon, it’s now obvious who Aaron Boone will hand the ball to Tuesday night.

Congratulations to Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal. That’s what USA Today’s national baseball writer Bob Nightengale Tweeted Friday morning. It makes a lot of sense. 

The Tigers ace, who leads the American League in ERA and has dominated nearly every turn this season, is now the clear frontrunner to start the Midsummer Classic for the AL. Boone, who is managing the squad, still has to make it official—but with Fried out and Rodon likely unavailable to pitch after throwing Saturday, Skubal stands alone as the logical choice.

And it’s a well-earned spotlight.

Skubal has been the best pitcher in the league’s best rotation. He’s 10-2 with a 2.02 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP across 18 starts, striking out 127 batters in 111.1 innings. He goes into Friday night’s start having gone 8-0 with 90 strikeouts in his last 10 starts at Comerica Park. He’s walked seven over that span. 

It's the only time in the modern era that an MLB pitcher has had any 10-start span at home with that many wins and strikeouts, with so few losses and walks, according to OptaStats.

 He’s been consistent, efficient, and dominant. 

For Detroit fans, it’s another sign of just how far their club has come. The Tigers are not just in first place.  They’re doing it behind a generational talent, and Skubal’s ascension to national recognition is a fitting example.

The Tigers haven’t had an All-Star Game starting pitcher since Max Scherzer in 2013. Skubal is set to change that—and once again put Detroit on the national stage where it belongs.