Tarik Skubal Puts The League On Notice With A Milestone

Tarik Skubal hit the 200-strikeout mark Tuesday night and, for the second straight season, got there before anyone else. The Tigers’ ace punched out 10 Astros over six-plus scoreless innings at Comerica Park, another metronome outing from the reigning AL Cy Young winner and this year’s front-runner.

Skubal entered the night with 190 strikeouts, a slim lead over Boston’s Garrett Crochet and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler, and crossed 200 with double-digit punchouts as Houston spent the evening late on the fastball and off balance against the changeup. He’s now the first pitcher to reac h 200 in back-to-back seasons since doing it last Aug. 31 against Boston, when he also became the first across MLB to that plateau.

The left-hander began the day 11–3 with a 2.42 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, leading the majors in several run-prevention categories while pacing the strikeout race. He improved that ERA to 2.32 after dominating Houston. 

Skubal did it against Houston ace Hunter Brown, who pitched six scoreless, scattering five hits and striking out six. 

This is what aces do in August. 

 Skubal erases rallies, shortens games and gives the Tigers a true edge.  Detroit doesn’t have to mash when Skubal takes the ball; it just has to catch it and scratch a couple. With the Central in hand and October in sight, every start like this nudges the Tigers closer to the kind of postseason series where one dominant arm decides a week.

Skubal was the first to 200 last year. He’s the first again this year. Different season, same message.