The Detroit Tigers entered Thursday’s matchup with hopes of maintaining their lead in the AL Central. However, one swing from Jhonkensey Noel quickly shifted the outcome. In the fourth inning, the Guardians slugger turned on a pitch from Tarik Skubal and launched it deep into the seats.
The homer came just one second after a broadcast quip of, “I mean if Jhonkensey Noel is Big Christmas, does that make Tarik Skubal the Grinch?” As a result, fans immediately tagged the sequence as the dreaded announcer jinx.
“I mean if Jhonkensy Noel is Big Christmas, does that make Tarik Skubal the Grinch?”
(1 second later)
Jhonkensy Noel takes Tarik Skubal to the moon pic.twitter.com/2FNjtebDCL
— Ohio’s Tate (@BarstoolTate) September 19, 2025
Early on, Skubal had been sharp through the first few innings. He mixed fastballs with offspeed pitches that left Cleveland hitters off balance. Then came Noel, who has built a reputation for game-changing power. Suddenly, the crack of the bat silenced Comerica Park as the Guardians tied the score.
Ultimately, Cleveland went on to secure a 3-1 victory and sweep the series thanks to a two-run homer in the seventh by Jose Ramirez after Skubal left the game, leaving the Tigers to wonder about missed chances in a tight division race.
For the Tigers, the frustration stems not only from the loss but also from the timing. All season, Tarik Skubal has been the anchor of the rotation, keeping the team in first place in the AL Central chase. Therefore, to see him undone by one swing and a touch of broadcast irony felt cruel. The defeat dropped Detroit's lead to just 3.5 games, the closest it's been since mid-May. Moreover, it underscored the slim margin for error that now defines September baseball.
Jhonkensey Noel is in the middle of a brutally bad season, but he has the ability to punish mistakes with big power. That single homer came at just the right time, especially with both teams fighting for postseason positioning.
On the other hand, Detroit’s lone run was not enough to erase the damage. The Tigers' offense struggled to find rhythm against Guardians pitching, and the silence in key moments highlighted a recurring problem in their campaign since early July. With limited games left, the path to October depends on avoiding missed opportunities and hoping the rotation holds strong.
Announcer jinx or not, the reality is simple: Noel delivered. Skubal got burned. The Guardians took control. Now, the Tigers must regroup quickly if they want to keep their AL Central lead.
