Tarik Skubal News Announced on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Hugh Green | Last updated Mar 2, 2026 5:20 PM ET

Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal has had an unbelievable career in Major League Baseball. Through six years in the majors, Skubal has made 137 appearances with 134 starts. In those games, he has pitched to a 3.08 ERA with 889 strikeouts and 172 walks in 766 2/3 innings.

He has really upped his game over the past two years, making the All-Star Game and winning the American League Cy Young Award in 2024 and 2025.

Skubal has spent his entire professional career with Detroit since the Tigers selected him in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Seattle University.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Minnesota Twins.© Mike Watters-Imagn Images

In the 2025 season, Skubal had a 13-6 record in 31 starts, pitching to an American League best 2.21 ERA in 195 1/3 innings with a major league high WHIP of 0.89 and strikeout-to-walk ratio of 7.30.

With the 2026 World Baseball Classic beginning this week, Skubal was announced as one of the starting pitchers for the United States. However, on Feb. 23, the 29-year-old lefty said that he will pitch only one game for the U.S. before returning to Tigers spring training, according to ESPN.

This lone start in the WBC will come on Saturday against Great Britain, and on Monday, USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale revealed that Skubal will throw around 55 pitches.

"The plan is for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to throw around 55 pitches against Great Britain in the second game of the WBC and then return to Lakeland to rejoin the Tigers," Nightengale said.

The plan is for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to throw about 55 pitches against Great Britain in the second game of the WBC and then return to Lakeland to rejoin the Tigers
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 2, 2026

This is disappointing for fans of Team USA who hoped that Skubal, who has been one of the top pitchers in all of baseball over the past two years, would help the U.S. in its quest for a second WBC title.

The U.S. will begin pool play on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox against Brazil and Skubal will take the mound on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox against Great Britain.

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

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