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Friday night in Anaheim delivered a jolt of midseason energy as tempers flared between Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, resulting in benches clearing during Detroit’s dominant 9-1 win over Los Angeles.
The tension began with a bang — literally. Neto ambushed Skubal’s very first pitch of the night, launching it 429 feet to dead center for a leadoff home run. The blast, clocked at 107.9 mph off the bat, marked Neto’s first career leadoff homer and only the second Skubal has allowed in that role since 2023.
Neto took a few extra seconds to admire his work before trotting around the bases, a move that clearly stuck with Skubal.
Zach Neto and Tarik Skubal exchange words after strike out and the benches clear!😳 pic.twitter.com/TCadEeutVz
— Baseball’s Office (@baseballsoffice) May 3, 2025
“I’m a competitor,” Skubal said postgame. “It’s nothing personal. He got me. But I want to get him back.”
That competitive fire reached a boiling point in the third inning. With a runner on third and one out, Skubal reached back and blew a 99.4 mph fastball past Neto for a swinging strikeout. But the strikeout wasn't the end — it was the beginning.
Tigers dominate the Angels as the benches cleared in the third
Skubal turned toward Neto and let him hear it. Neto fired something right back, prompting Skubal to take a few steps off the mound toward the third-base line. Angels players poured out of their dugout, as did Tigers teammates, forming a crowd around home plate. Cooler heads quickly prevailed, and no punches were thrown, but umpires issued warnings to both sides.
“It’s just two guys competing,” Neto said afterward. “I got him early, he got me back. That’s baseball.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch echoed that sentiment. “Adrenaline’s flowing, guys are fired up,” he said. “There wasn’t really a reason for the benches to clear, but it happens. I don’t mind the fire — as long as it doesn’t go further.”
After the dust settled, Skubal went back to work. He tossed six innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits and striking out eight to improve to 4-0 on the year. His ERA dipped to 2.18, and the Tigers improved to 21-12 — the best record in the American League.
The Angels, meanwhile, dropped their seventh straight, falling to 12-19 and last in the AL West.
As for Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner has been as dominant as ever in 2025. He leads the Tigers’ rotation with 40 strikeouts and remains the emotional tone-setter for a team off to its best start in franchise history.
While Friday’s incident didn’t result in ejections or suspensions, it may have set the tone for the rest of the series — and perhaps a budding rivalry between two competitive players who don’t shy away from the spotlight. Game 2 is set for Saturday night. Stay tuned.
