Detroit — Tarik Skubal was good but not great. And that made him mad, spittin’ mad. Which partly explains why he can be fearsome, flippin’ fearsome.
The showdown that many craved — Tigers’ superstar Skubal versus Pirates wunderkind Paul Skenes — didn’t materialize in the weather-forced doubleheader Thursday. That might have bummed out some fans, but it shifted the clash only slightly.
It was Skubal versus Rain. Skubal versus Wet Dirt. Skubal versus Timing of Game. Skubal versus Skubal. And yeah, a little bit of Skubal versus Pirates. Evidence of Skubal’s dominance is well-established, as he churns toward a possible second straight Cy Young Award. But sometimes, it’s helpful to see him slip a bit to understand how high the standard is.
In the Tigers’ mundane 9-2 victory, Skubal walked two in the first inning, back-to-back. He didn’t make it through the sixth inning, not that it was necessary. When he departed, the 9-2 lead was already established and Skubal had given up three walks (only the second time this season) and three hits, and struck out six.
His strikeout-to-walk ratio over the past 13 starts edged up to a still-otherworldly 107 and eight. His ERA rocketed from 1.99 to 2.06. His demeanor after raising his record to 8-2 simmered just below peeved. It was way higher than peeved after he escaped a bases-loaded first-inning jam and was seen on camera stalking the dugout, dropping a gaping-mouthed F-bomb.
“I don’t think I met the standards of who I think I am today,” Skubal said. “I didn’t think I was very good. But we won so it doesn’t really matter how I feel or what I think.”
It always matters to him, just as it always matters to most stars. Just like it matters to Skenes, who’s crafting his own elite standard. The Pirates blew a 4-0 lead but pulled out the nightcap in the 10th, 8-4, after more storms blew in. The Tigers (48-28) and Pirates (30-46) took turns hammering each other, and the better contest probably would’ve been Skubal-Skenes.
But nobody should lose sight of what this is about. AJ Hinch certainly isn’t. After Skubal’s scheduled start Wednesday night got drenched out, Hinch asked him which doubleheader game he’d prefer to start. Skubal quickly chose the opener because it fit his routine. Pirates manager Don Kelly, the former Tiger, opted to start Skenes in the second game, which made perfect sense, if not entertainment sense.
Skenes came in with a 4-6 record and 1.78 ERA, comparable numbers to Skubal’s. Well, except for the won-loss mark, owing mostly to the Pirates’ anemic offense. Skenes has gotten three runs or fewer of support in 12 of his 15 starts. Kelly wasn’t interested in making it 13 of 16 by having him face Skubal.
So Skubal was left to battle himself and the elements with rising levels of frustration. The steady rain had abated, but it was still drizzling past Thursday’s 1:10 p.m. start. The time got bumped to 1:50, while the groundcrew hurriedly rolled the tarp and spread dry dirt, and hey, play ball!
It didn’t fully stop raining until about the third inning, just long enough to get Skubal saturated and thoroughly irritated. He said he changed his soaked jersey almost every inning. He didn’t want to blame his command issues on the weather, but he finally succumbed, when asked to be honest.
“You guys don’t get (all of) my honest answers,” he said with a wry smile. “I was a little upset at the weather. From the third inning on, I thought it was very manageable. I just felt we could’ve started that game a little later. My hat was literally leaking water in front of my face as I’m pitching. It’s like, why didn’t we just wait?”
It would be a pointed question if Skubal had gotten rocked, but at least it gave him a chance to hone his composure. Sometimes when he gets angry, he gets angrier, then takes a moment to calm himself.
“That was frustrating for sure, but their guys are playing in it just like we are,” Skubal said. “You can’t let it affect you, and I probably did let it affect me a little bit. I guess that’s something I can take away in the future, just don’t let things you can’t control affect your emotions.”
Was Skubal being a little hard on himself? Sure. That’s part of his competitive demeanor.
He’s the Tigers’ most-valuable asset, by far. At 28, he’s under contract through 2026, when huge decisions must be made. Like, possibly $200-300 million decisions. You’d think the history of hard-throwing pitchers getting hurt would soften the market, but the Tigers can’t count on it. And I’m sure they’d rather ride his dominance as long as possible before bidding, or getting outbid.
Contract negotiations
The Tigers won’t discuss contract negotiations, and they’re certainly not treating Skubal any differently. The big lefty loves to throw deep into games, and he was at 103 pitches when Hinch pulled him.
“It wasn’t a great day for Tarik to pitch,” Hinch said. “He certainly gets a pass on that. He won’t give it to himself so I’ll give it to him. It was nasty to start the game. … For Tarik, his bar is so high, for himself, but also that others bestow on him. That comes with the territory when you have the hardware and top-of-the-rotation notoriety.”
Skubal still drew the customary “Skkuuubes!” from the crowd of 33,368 when he left the mound. Every bit of love helps push a team and make it mutual.
“I appreciate the support, good or bad,” Skubal said. “I think that’s what makes Detroit a great city, a great sports town. They don’t expect you to be perfect every time out. They got my back, and I think they understand the human aspect of the game, and I just wasn’t very good today.”
Ah, we all wish we could replicate Skubal’s version of not very good. Sturdy aces like him are still rare, and when they come along, it’s hard to keep them. It’s a much bigger issue for the Pirates, who are seeing Skenes blossom into one of the best in the game, perhaps side by side with Skubal.
The two surely will have more showdown chances. Perhaps when the Tigers visit Pittsburgh in July. Or maybe in the All-Star Game. Or maybe down the line — way down the line? — in the World Series.
Superstars can arrive from any direction, sometimes from opposite directions. Skubal, 28, was the Tigers’ ninth-round draft pick in 2018 out of Seattle and battled injuries before unleashing his full pain-free strength last season. Skenes, 23, was the No.1 overall pick by the Pirates in 2023 out of LSU, and hasn’t paid many painful dues yet, winning NL Rookie of the Year last season.
“What a great start, I can’t say my career started the same way,” Skubal said. “He’s great for the game, everybody wants to watch him play. We need the stars to be on the field for the product to be good and make fans want to come to the yard. It’s great for everyone involved, including myself.”
Ace recognize Ace, even if Ace doesn’t always face Ace. After pitching in Thursday’s opener, Skubal said one benefit was, “selfishly, I can kind of dial in and watch him.” Like Skubal, Skenes was good, not dominant, allowing three hits and two runs in six innings. He struck out nine and walked five.
Unlike Skubal, Skenes didn’t battle the rain. He battled his enduring fate on a losing team, as the Tigers rallied from a 4-0 deficit and tied it immediately after he left. Skenes will have better outcomes, presumably, eventually. Skubal will have better outings too, which is the scary part for Tigers opponents.
@bobwojnowski
