Tarik Skubal

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Tarik Skubal
Detroit Tigers – No. 29
Pitcher
Born: (1996-11-20) November 20, 1996 (age 25)
Hayward, California
Bats: Right
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 18, 2020, for the Detroit Tigers
MLB statistics
(through 2021 season)
Win–loss record9–16
Earned run average4.57
Strikeouts201
Teams

Tarik Daniel Skubal (born November 20, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career[]

Skubal attended Kingman Academy of Learning in Kingman, Arizona and played college baseball at Seattle University. He missed most of the 2016 season and all of 2017 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Despite the injury, he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 29th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and returned to Seattle.[1] He was then drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB draft and signed.[2][3]

Professional career[]

Skubal spent his first professional season with the Gulf Coast Tigers, Connecticut Tigers and West Michigan Whitecaps, pitching to a combined 3–0 record and 0.40 ERA in 22.1 innings pitched.[4] He started 2019 with the Lakeland Flying Tigers.[5] He would impress throughout the season and earn a call-up to the Erie SeaWolves on July 5. Over his first three starts with Erie, he held a 0.56 ERA with 34 strikeouts and giving up just five hits in sixteen innings. His performances over the season would earn him a jump in the MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch from a preseason #20 ranking in the Tigers' organization to a #4 spot at the midseason update on July 27.[6] He would finish the season at the Double-A level with a 2–3 record, 2.13 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and with opponents hitting just .168 off him. Overall in 2019 (two minor league levels), Skubal struck out 179 batters in only 122+2⁄3 innings.

The Tigers invited Skubal to spring training in 2020.[7][8] On August 18, 2020, Skubal was recalled from the Tigers' satellite training facility in Toledo, and he made his MLB debut later that day.[9][10] On August 29, 2020, Skubal earned his first major league win against the Minnesota Twins. In five innings pitched, Skubal allowed two earned runs and three hits while striking out two and walking none in the Tigers' 4–2 win.[11] With the 2020 Detroit Tigers, Skubal appeared in 8 games, compiling a 1–4 record with 5.63 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 32.0 innings pitched.[12] His cutter, which averaged 95.4 mph (153.5 km/h), was the fastest cutter of any major league pitcher for the 2020 season.[13]

On March 24, 2021, new Tigers manager A. J. Hinch announced that Skubal had made the Opening Day roster out of spring training, and would be part of the Tigers' starting rotation.[14] On July 3, Skubal recorded his 100th strikeout of the season in a game against the Chicago White Sox, becoming the first Tiger rookie in franchise history to strike out 100 or more batters before the All-Star break.[15] In an August 25 game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Skubal recorded strikeouts for the first six outs of the game, finishing with ten strikeouts in five innings of work.[16] On September 25 against the Kansas City Royals, Skubal reached 200 career strikeouts in his first 38 appearances, which is faster than any pitcher in Tigers franchise history. Overall in 2021, Skubal made 31 appearances (29 starts), posting an 8–12 record and 4.34 ERA while striking out 164 batters in 149+1⁄3 innings.

Personal life[]

Skubal's father Russ is a middle school science teacher and basketball coach.[17] His mother, Laura Skubal, is a development services employee with Mohave County, Arizona. He has three brothers: Treyvor, Tyler, and Trent.[18]

References[]

  1. ^ "Life throws Skubal a curveball, but Academy grad makes the best of it". Kingman Daily Miner.
  2. ^ "Kingman Academy grad Skubal drafted in ninth round of MLB Draft". Kingman Daily Miner.
  3. ^ "Skubal taking the next step in his baseball journey". Kingman Daily Miner.
  4. ^ Eddy, Dave (February 13, 2019). "5 Prospects Who Should Have Made the Detroit Tigers Top 50".
  5. ^ Seidel, Jeff. "Meet Detroit Tigers lefty prospect Tarik Skubal, maybe the steal of 2018 draft". Detroit Free Press.
  6. ^ "MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2019-07-27.
  7. ^ Stavenhagen, Cody (February 20, 2020). "The rise of Tarik Skubal". The Athletic. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  8. ^ "Tigers' Tarik Skubal makes it look so easy in spring debut". mlive. February 21, 2020.
  9. ^ Jason Beck (August 17, 2020). "Tigers call up top prospects Mize, Skubal". MLB.com. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Jason Beck (August 18, 2020). "'He just hits': Paredes impresses in debut". MLB.com. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  11. ^ Beck, Jason (August 29, 2020). "Something old, new lead Tigers in DH sweep". MLB.com. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  12. ^ https://www.mlb.com/player/tarik-skubal-669373[bare URL]
  13. ^ Pitch Arsenals Leaderboard, baseballsavant.mlb.com
  14. ^ Petzold, Evan (March 24, 2021). "Julio Teheran, Tarik Skubal make Detroit Tigers' Opening Day roster as starters". freep.com. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  15. ^ Day, Brandon (July 8, 2021). "Detroit at Minnesota preview: Hot Tigers look to carry momentum into the All-Star break". blessyouboys.com. Retrieved July 9, 2021.
  16. ^ McCosky, Chris (August 25, 2021). "Tarik Skubal shines, but Cardinals clip Tigers in 10 inning". The Detroit News. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  17. ^ Among Tigers' batch of budding stars, Tarik Skubal could end up shining brightest
  18. ^ Why is Detroit Tigers prospect Tarik Skubal so dang competitive? Only a father knows

External links[]

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