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Tarik Skubal delivered a masterclass on Sunday night, striking out 11 batters across 6 2/3 dominant innings to help the Detroit Tigers snap a season-worst six-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers. The performance was so electric, even MLB’s official X account couldn’t help but post, “Tarik Skubal was NASTY tonight.”
The left-hander allowed just one earned run on four hits, issued zero walks, and threw 105 pitches—71.4% of them for strikes. His signature changeup was on full display, thrown a season-high 40 times and generating a flurry of whiffs that left the Rangers guessing. At one point, Skubal struck out seven of eight batters, including Marcus Semien, Adolis García, and Wyatt Langford with upper-90s fastballs and devastating off-speed stuff.
“I expect every time I go out there to put our team in a position to win,” Skubal said postgame. “And we were able to do that tonight.”
The outing put Skubal in elite company. According to MLB stats, he became the only pitcher since 1901 not named Clayton Kershaw to record 160+ strikeouts, fewer than 20 walks, and an ERA under 2.20 through 20 starts. With a 2.19 ERA, 10 wins, and 164 strikeouts, Skubal remains in the hunt for the American League pitching Triple Crown.
Tigers are the first team to reach the 60-win mark in 2025
But as he emphasized, team success comes first: “That’s what matters—we’re the first to 60,” Skubal said. “That matters more than anything that I’m doing individually.” Detroit took a 1-0 lead early, stringing together three singles in the second inning against Rangers spot-starter Jacob Latz. Wenceel Pérez, Dillon Dingler, and Zach McKinstry were responsible for the rally, with McKinstry driving in the game’s opening run.
The Rangers threatened late, especially in the seventh when Skubal was lifted after a gritty eight-pitch strikeout of Jonah Heim. With runners on the corners, A.J. Hinch turned to Tyler Holton, who tossed a wild pitch that allowed García to score and tie the game. Skubal, who had just exited, could only watch from the dugout as a potential win slipped away.
But the Tigers weren’t done. Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene led off the eighth with back-to-back singles. After two quick outs, Matt Vierling stepped up and delivered a clutch, full-count RBI single up the middle to reclaim the lead.
Will Vest shut the door with authority, retiring Seager, Semien, and García in order in the ninth for his 16th save of the season. Skubal may not have earned the win on the scorecard, but there’s no doubt he was the difference-maker in Detroit’s gritty bounce-back victory. With the win, the Tigers moved to 60–40—the best record in baseball—and made a loud statement in front of a national audience: their ace is very much in the Cy Young conversation, and their eyes are set firmly on October.
