Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks off the field after a pitching change against Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, June 6, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal Has Accomplished Astonishing MLB History

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal had all of the potential in the world; the only thing holding him back was his health.

Earlier in his career, he struggled to consistently stay on the mound, battling numerous ailments. If he were ever able to stay healthy, he would cement his status amongst the best pitchers in baseball.

That is exactly what happened in 2024, as the perfect storm came together.

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Skubal stay healthy, making 31 starts and being unanimously selected as the American League Cy Young Award winner. He recorded the pitching Triple Crown, leading the AL with 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA and 238 strikeouts.

The victories, strikeouts and 6.4 bWAR were all tops in the MLB. His .818 winning percentage, ERA, 170 ERA+ and 2.49 FIP were all the best in the AL.

What did Skubal have in store as an encore performance defending his incredible accolade?

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He has actually gotten better, improving across the board and producing at such an incredibly high level, he is rewriting the MLB record book in the process.

As shared by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, the latest statistical achievement he has recorded is the first time someone has accomplished the feat in at least 125 years.

Tarik Skubal has 95 strikeouts and 3 walks in his last 11 starts

Skubal is the first pitcher to record 90+ strikeouts and 3 BB or fewer in a 11-start span in at least the last 125 seasons https://t.co/Vvnyw6xzKP
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 7, 2025

Against the Chicago Cubs on Friday, June 6, Skubal pitched 7.2 innings, striking out six, allowing eight hits that resulted in one earned run while walking zero.

That brought his strikeout total over the last 11 starts to 95, while his walk total remained a minuscule three.

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He is the first pitcher in at least the last 125 seasons to record 90+ strikeouts and three or fewer walks in any 11-game span.

What Skubal is accomplishing is unprecedented. Throughout baseball history, strikeout pitchers normally rack up high pitch counts not always being able to locate their dynamic stuff.

That isn’t the case with the Tigers ace, who not only locates his incredible arsenal with elite precision, he is blowing away hitters regularly as well.

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Skubal is on pace to break the record for K/BB, currently with a 15.0 ratio, striking out 105 on the season compared to seven walks.

Those are video game numbers to go along with his 5-2 record, 2.16 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 3.1 WAR.

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

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