Tarik Skubal Looking Forward To Facing Shohei Ohtani in 2025 MLB All-Star Game

Tarik Skubal was selected as the American League starting pitcher for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game after an incredible start to the season for the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal was chosen as the starter by New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who is managing the AL’s team after winning the pennant last season.

It’s the 28-year-old’s second consecutive All-Star Game appearance, and the first time he’s been given the ball to start the game.

Skubal is set to face off against a loaded National League lineup that features Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ketel Marte at the top of it.

Freddie Freeman, Manny Machado and Will Smith are slotted in the middle of the order, while Kyle Tucker, Francisco Lindor and Pete Crow-Armstrong round out the starting nine.

While Skubal has his work cut out for him, he’s most looking forward to the matchup against Ohtani.

“Hopefully I only face three. That means I did a good job,” Skubal said. “I mean, if I had to pick one, it would be Shohei. What he does on both sides of the ball is really impressive.”

The AL will bat first with the NL hosting the game at the Atlanta Braves’ Truist Park, so Skubal will have to wait for that matchup.

The left-handed pitcher has faced the two-way superstar multiple times in his career. Ohtani has nine career at-bats against Skubal, and he’s gone just 1-for-9 with a single.

Skubal pitched against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium this season, and he got Ohtani to ground out in his first at-bat before allowing a single in the third inning.

Ohtani grounded out in the fifth inning, which was his final at-bat against Skubal.

Tarik Skubal & Shohei Ohtani’s stats

Overall this season, Skubal has pitched to a 2.37 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and struck out 132 hitters in 110 innings. Last year, he won the pitching Triple Crown, leading the AL with 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts.

Ohtani is hitting .276/.382/.605 this year with 32 home runs, 91 runs scored, 60 RBI and 12 stolen bases. Last year, he was named the NL MVP after becoming the first 50-50 player in MLB history, batting .310/.390/.646 with 54 home runs, 134 runs scored, 130 RBI and 59 stolen bases.