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Tarik Skubal Matches Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw With Record Setting Feat

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Aug 3, 2025 4:24 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers defeated the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Saturday by a score of 7-5, a game that included another masterful performance from ace pitcher Tarik Skubal.

The Tigers lefty fanned 10 batters in seven innings of work, giving up three runs and leading Detroit to its 65th win of the season, one win behind MLB's top team, the Milwaukee Brewers.

Following the game, it was announced that Skubal's performance helped him to join Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw in an exclusive club of pitchers.

Skubal became just the second pitcher in the modern era including Keshaw to strike out 10 batters or more without walking a batter in three consecutive road starts, joining the longtime Dodgers ace, 11-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion.

Last 3 road starts for the @tigers' Tarik Skubal:

10 strikeouts, 0 walks (at Cle)
11 strikeouts, 0 walks (at Tex)
10 strikeouts, 0 walks (at Phi)

Only one other MLB pitcher in the modern era has had 10+ strikeouts & no walks in 3 consecutive road starts: Clayton Kershaw (2016). pic.twitter.com/1T56XHEsYu
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 3, 2025

Skubal is the odds-on Cy Young favorite in the American League this season, ranking ahead of Houston's Josh Hader, Boston's Garrett Crotchet, Houston's Framber Valdez and Toronto's Jeff Hoffman on the Cy Young predictor ladder.

Skubal was supported by the Tigers' stalwart defenders on Saturday including Riley Greene, whose running, sliding catch just inside of the left field foul ball line turned heads on social media.

Riley Greene covers an ABSURD amount of ground to make the catch and Tarik Skubal is loving it! pic.twitter.com/pW5G7B00z7
— MLB (@MLB) August 2, 2025

The Tigers' rough start to the second half of the season is suddenly looking like a bygone era as the team has recovered to begin playing better baseball behind the return of star right fielder Kerry Carpenter and a flurry of deadline trades made by general manager Jeff Greenberg.

Detroit boasts an eight-game lead over arch-nemesis Cleveland in the American League Central Division and is tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for the best record in the American League, with the Houston Astros hot on their tail at 62-50 and the Boston Red Sox also lurking in the weeds.

The Tigers' depth will be tested in the coming weeks with the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels and Chicago White Sox next on deck.

The lightening of Detroit's schedule gives manager AJ Hinch a chance to test new lineup combinations.

Meanwhile, Skubal continues to impress, showing no signs of slowing as MLB's second half continues to heat up.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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