Ex-Tigers Star Says Tarik Skubal Is Exactly the Type Yankees Should Try to Steal

Cameron Maybin knows Detroit fans are protective of Tarik Skubal, and he stirred the pot anyway. The former Tigers and Yankees outfielder warned the Tigers that if they don't lock up the reigning Cy Young Award winner now, he would certainly look perfect in Yankee Stadium wearing pinstripes.

“If the Tigers screw this up, there’s only one place Skubal belongs: rocking pinstripes in the Bronx,” Maybin said in a series of tweets on X.com Sunday night. “Aura. Moxie. Straight bulldog. If you think he’s filthy now? Just wait ‘til he’s toeing the rubber in October at Yankee Stadium. I dare you.”

Maybin quickly clarified his remarks, noting that he and Skubal are former teammates and friends. But he stood by his belief that pitching in the Bronx brings out something special.

“I played with Skubal and he’s actually my guy,” Maybin explained. “I only said what I said because I know the competitor he is. Guys like him take it to another level when surrounded by history, expectation, and the will to win. He wants those big moments. He thrives in them.”

Maybin speaks from personal experience, having spent time with both organizations.

“All you need to do is ask any current or former player who joined the Yankees from somewhere else,” he added. “I used to be one of those people who thought it was all the same, but it’s not. The amount of pressure and the investment from the fans just feels different.”

For now, though, Skubal remains Detroit’s ace and the centerpiece of a potential World Series run. After a dominant Cy Young campaign in 2024 (18-4, 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts), he’s somehow even better this year—posting a 2.19 ERA with 164 strikeouts in 127⅔ innings.

The Tigers have Skubal, and Detroit wants to keep it that way.

But if you ask Maybin, the ace has the aura and moxie of someone meant for baseball’s brightest lights—and that means October, and maybe pinstripes.