Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 12. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Tarik Skubal of Detroit Tigers on Pace to Join Pedro Martinez in Amazing Baseball History

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jun 15, 2025 8:40 AM ET

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could make baseball history not seen in a quarter century this season, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

He has thrown 90.1 innings this season, and hasn’t permitted a run in 79 of them, yielding a 1.99 ERA and a 0.808 WHIP.

He’s on pace to become the first pitcher to win consecutive Cy Young awards since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000.

Mariners' Cal Raleigh making history. His biggest fan? Johnny Bench https://t.co/6eEwsbWyeP
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 15, 2025

Skubal, 28, is 7-2 this season and has struck out 111 batters in 90.1 innings. He's a major reason why the Tigers have the best record in the American League (46-26), and why they think they can win their first World Series since 1984.

A six-year veteran of Detroit, he's now 48-33 with a 3.18 lifetime ERA.

As for Martinez? He's one of the best pitchers of all-time.

A Hall of Famer who went 219-100 for his career, he was an eight-time All-Star, a five-time ERA champion and a three-time Cy Young winner. He spent 18 years in the majors with the Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. He helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series championship and led the majors in wins (23) in 1999.

He had 12 seasons of double-digit wins and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

As for Skubal's Tigers, they'll be back in action on Sunday afternoon against the Cincinnati Reds. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. ET as Sawyer Gipson-Long (DET) battles with Wade Miley (CIN).

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

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