Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal put on an absolute show on Sunday as he pitched his first ever complete game. Skubal pitched all nine innings as the Tigers took down the Cleveland Guardians. Skubal only threw 94 pitches, and he struck out 13 while walking none. He only threw 22 balls. It was the best pitching performance of the season so far, and it was also the best pitching performance of Skubal's career.
After dropping the first three games of the four-game series against the Guardians, the Tigers needed a game like that. Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt knew that there wasn't a lot that his team could do on Sunday against the “best pitcher in baseball.”
“He just came right after us,” Stephen Vogt said after the game, according to an article from MLB.com. “It's an 11:35 game, he's throwing 97-99. He's the best. He's the best pitcher in baseball, and he showed it today.”
The ninth inning was a sight to behold as Skubal came in to finish off an incredible start. A good crowd came out to Comerica Park for the game, and there weren't a lot of folks that were in their seats during that final inning. Skubal got an extra jolt the crowd, and that resulted in an absurd 103 MPH final pitch of the game. It earned a swing and a miss for strikeout 13.
Article Continues Below“I’m an emotional player. I feed off of energy in the stadiums,” Skubal said. “When everyone’s on their feet, special things kinda happen when you’re in my shoes. … I knew it was going to come out hot. I didn’t necessarily know where it was going to go, though.”
Tigers manager AJ Hinch is fortunate to have the best pitcher in the game on his team, and he knows what his ace is capable of. When Skubal is pitching his best, there aren't too many guys around the league that can hit him.
“When he’s got full intensity and full throttle, the sky’s the limit,” AJ Hinch said.
The Tigers improved to 34-20 with the win to increase their lead in the AL Central, and another win on Monday against the San Francisco Giants earned them win #35. Detroit is one of the best teams in baseball right now, and having a pitcher like Tarik Skubal is a big reason why. The Tigers came into that game with three losses in a row, and the win was the exact reset that they needed. Whenever Skubal is on the mound, there is a good chance that the Tigers are going to come out on top.