Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been masterful this season. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is following up his Triple Crown performance from 2024 with another dominant campaign. And Skubal was feeling feisty when he took the mound for the Tigers in the series opener against the Athletics Monday.
With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, Skubal had already racked up six strikeouts. Then Shea Langeliers stepped in and hit a deep foul ball to left. But the A’s crew mistakenly played their light show that celebrates a home run. And the All-Star lefty was not pleased.
Skubal locked in and got Langeliers looking with a 99 mph four-seamer, ending the third inning with his seventh strikeout. And while walking back to the dugout, a fired up Skubal sarcastically motioned for the crew to play the home run celebration again, per Talkin' Baseball.
Tarik Skubal strikes out 12 in Tigers' loss
Skubal has been a road warrior this season. He tied Clayton Kershaw as the only pitchers ever to record 10+ strikeouts without allowing a walk in three straight road starts. While Skubal fell short of breaking Kershaw’s record, he picked up his fourth 10K/0BB road start on Monday. It’s his seventh overall outing this season with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks.
The Tigers’ hurler was cooking through six innings with a 3-1 lead and 10 strikeouts. But the A’s had the last laugh.
Rookie outfielder Colby Thomas led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to left center. Then the A’s loaded the bases but Skubal dug deep and struck out the next two batters. He was one out away from escaping the jam. And then Langeliers stepped in.
The Athletics’ catcher absolutely hammered a 98 mph sinker for a monster 450-foot grand slam. This time, the A’s crew got to play the light show for real. And they probably enjoyed the hell out of it.
BANGELIERS GRAND SLAM OFF SKUBAL FOR THE LEAD IN THE SEVENTH! pic.twitter.com/haZCsRsRVi
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 26, 2025
Langeliers gave the A’s a 6-3 lead with his 29th home run of the season. And Skubal’s day was done. Nick “Colonel” Kurtz added a two-run bomb in the eighth inning as the Tigers went on to lose 8-3.
Skubal fell to 11-4 on the year but, despite giving up six runs on seven hits, his ERA didn't get dinged. The sixth-year veteran only allowed one earned run due to two Tigers’ errors. He had 12 strikeouts and no walks in 6.2 innings.
