The Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 on Tuesday, taking Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. Tarik Skubal was sensational, striking out 14 batters in 7.2 innings, securing the win. After a second consecutive Cy Young-caliber season, Detroit's ace got them off on the right foot. Skubal joined an elite company with his 14-strikeout playoff performance, per Erick José Lantigua of Baseball-Reference.

“Tarik Skubal became the 14th pitcher with at least 14 strikeouts in a playoff game. The absolute record is 17 strikeouts, achieved by Bob Gibson in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series,” Lantigua posted, per X's translation.

According to the post, Skubal had the first 14-strikeout performance in the postseason since Gerrit Cole with the Houston Astros against the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019. He was also the first Tiger to strike out 14 in a playoff game since Joe Coleman in the 1972 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics.

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Skubal was incredible for the Tigers in the 2024 postseason as well, allowing no earned runs in 19 innings. All five of those runs came in the season-ending loss to the Guardians in Game 5 of the ALDS. Skubal once again allowed just one earned run on Tuesday,

The good news for the Tigers is that each of the last five pitchers to strike out 14 in a postseason game has ended up in the World Series. The bad news is that Skubal won't pitch for the rest of the Wild Card series against Cleveland. They will likely run out Jack Flaherty in Game 2, who struggled in the regular season but was solid for the champion Dodgers last October.

The Tigers and Guardians continue their series on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern. If the Tigers win, they will move on to face the Seattle Mariners in the Division Series. Their offense did not break out of the slump and will need another great pitching performance on Tuesday.