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The Detroit Tigers have a pitcher who has been thriving over the last few seasons. Tarik Skubal has emerged as one of the best pitchers in the game. But the discussion has changed, as some believe he is the best pitcher in MLB. The Tigers' ace has been dominant. Moreover, the Tigers' pitcher has been hard for every hitter to figure out.
There are many great pitchers in baseball. However, some small circles credit Tarik Skubal for lifting Detroit on his shoulders. This team currently has the best record in the American League. Ultimately, this sets them up for the top seed once the playoffs begin. Much of their rise to the top has been due to great pitching. Notably, the Tigers' ace has been at the forefront of that.
Although Paul Skenes has also been a hot young pitcher, Skubal has started to cement himself as the best. After Skubal dominated the Houston Astros, it feels like he is at the top of the mountain. It's time to do a deep dive into Skubal and why he is the best pitcher in MLB.
The Tigers' ace is the reigning Cy Young Award winner.
Skubal won the American League Cy Young last season after a historic campaign. Now, he is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young again. While Garrett Crochet is a close second, Skubal is still the favorite. Hunter Brown, the man who engaged the Tigers' star in a pitching duel this week, has the third-best odds of winning the AL Cy Young.
The only negative against Skubal claiming the award is his low win count. Currently, he is 11-3 with a 2.32 ERA in 25 starts with 11 no-decisions. However, that is more of a testament to the team's inability to score runs while he is on the mound. The Tigers won the game against the Astros 1-0, but the star Tigers pitcher was not on the mound when it happened.
Even if Skubal does not win many more games, he still can claim the AL Cy Young award by continuing to hurl dominant outings. He can win the award for the second consecutive season.
Tarik Skubal hits all the advanced metrics
Skubal destroys every category on Baseball Savant, and his metrics are off the charts. Currently, he is second in the majors in innings pitched at 308.2 and third in strikeouts per nine innings. The Tigers' ace is also third in walks per nine innings. Likewise, he is first in WAR, second in expected FIT, and third in ERA.
His pitching run value is nearly perfect, as he currently has a 100 mark on Baseball Savant. His fastball run value is 98, while his breaking ball run value is 100. Also, his chase percentage is in the 96th percentile, while his average exit velocity is in the 97th percentile. Slubal destroys almost every single pitching metric. Notably, the only thing that would be considered a struggle is his barrel percentage, his ground-ball percentage, and his extension. Regardless, none of this has affected him.
Tarik Skubal can lead the Tigers to the promised land
Aaron Judge said Tark Skubal was the best pitcher in the game, and that is high praise from one of the best hitters in baseball. Significantly, Judge is 7 for 17 against the Tigers ace with two home runs. Although that is a fairly good line against Skubal, it still does not negate the fact that the ace has been tough to hit. Skubal has dominated other hitters, such as Shohei Ohtani, who is just 1 for 9 against him.
Skubal is the best pitcher in MLB because he refuses to give in to pressure situations. Notably, there was a situation in the third inning against the Astros where there were two runners on base with two outs. Instead of folding, Skubal struck out Carlos Correa, catching him looking, to end the inning.
This brings everything back to the point and is another reason why he is the best pitcher in MLB right now. Just look at the Tigers. They are currently in a golden position in the standings and have a legitimate chance to make it to the World Series. When the season began, the Tigers were borderline playoff contenders after losing to the Cleveland Guardians in ALDS last season.
Things have changed. Now, the Tigers are contenders to make it all the way to the World Series. If they can finish as the top seed, then the American League Playoffs will go through Comerica Park. Although home-field advantage is not as essential in baseball as it is in other sports, it still helps. Skubal will be right there, helping the Tigers succeed with the hopes of winning their first title in over 40 years.
