Detroit Tigers starter Tarik Skubal (29) delivers a pitch during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 2. Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox Set to Make Wild History During Run of Elite Pitching Opponents

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated May 14, 2025 4:19 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox are set to face a historic offensive challenge over the next two games, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com:

By facing Tarik Skubal tonight and Chris Sale on Friday, the Red Sox, per Elias, will become the first team to face the reigning Cy Young Award winners in both leagues in back to back games. Obviously this would have been hard to do before Interleague started in 1997.

By facing Tarik Skubal tonight and Chris Sale on Friday, the Red Sox, per Elias, will become the first team to face the reigning Cy Young Award winners in both leagues in back to back games. Obviously this would have been hard to do before Interleague started in 1997.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) May 14, 2025

Skubal, 28, won the American League Cy Young in 2024 with a dominant 18-4 season. He helped lead the Tigers to the American League Division Series and led the American League in ERA at 2.39. He struck out a whopping 228 batters in 192.0 innings.

He's been excellent this year as well, going 4-2 with a 2.08 ERA through eight starts. He's got 50 strikeouts to just one walk in his last six outings. A six-year veteran, he's gone 45-33 lifetime.

The Tigers enter play on Wednesday at 28-15, which is the best record in the American League.

As for Sale, he's a 15-year veteran of the Chicago White Sox, Red Sox and Braves. He helped lead Boston to the World Series title in 2018 and he's gone 139-86 for his career. An eight-time All-Star, he's also a Gold Glover, an ERA title winner and a Triple Crown winner. He has eight seasons of double-digit wins.

The Red Sox enter play on Wednesday at 22-22 overall. They are in second place in the American League East, behind only the New York Yankees.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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