Tarik Skubal

BIOGRAPHY

Tarik Skubal was born November 20, 1996, in Hayward, California. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

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. He started 2019 with the Lakeland Flying Tigers. He would impress throughout the season and earn a call-up to the Erie SeaWolves on July 5th. 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 on the MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch from a preseason #20 ranking in the Tigers' organization, to a #4 spot in the midseason update on July 27th. 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.

He was invited to Spring Training by the Tigers in 2020. On August 18, 2020, Skubal was recalled by the Tigers from their satellite training facility in Toledo, and made his MLB debut later that day. 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. With the 2020 Detroit Tigers, Skubal appeared in 8 games, with 5.63 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 32.0 innings pitched. His 95.4 mph-average cutter was the fastest cutter of any major league pitcher for the 2020 season.

Skubal began the 2022 season in the Tigers' starting rotation. He posted a 7–8 record with a 3.52 ERA, 111 ERA+, 1.16 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 117+2⁄3 innings.

On March 14, 2023, the Tigers moved Skubal to the 60-day injured list, stating that he wasn't expected back until the summer, following last year's flexor tendon surgery. He was activated for his season debut on July 4.