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In Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal delivered yet another dominant performance, throwing 6.2 innings, allowing four hits, one earned run, zero walks, and striking out 11. He finished with a pitch count of 105, the second-highest of his 123 career starts.
Skubal’s ERA now stands at an American League-best 2.19, narrowly ahead of Boston’s Garrett Crochet (2.195), who leads the AL in wins (11) and strikeouts (165). Skubal trails Crochet by just one win and one strikeout, with 10 wins and 164 strikeouts.
He became just the second pitcher since 1901, alongside Clayton Kershaw in 2014, to record 160+ strikeouts, 20 or fewer walks, and a sub-2.20 ERA through 20 starts in a season.
Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and 2025 All-Star Game starter, has been one of the most efficient and overpowering pitchers this season. He leads the league in WHIP and is fourth in opposing batting average. Sunday’s outing marked his seventh career game with double-digit strikeouts and zero walks, breaking a franchise record previously held by Justin Verlander.
Despite a no-decision in his 20th start, Skubal played a major role in ending Detroit’s season-worst six-game losing streak. With the win, the Tigers improved to 60-40, becoming the first team in MLB to reach 60 wins in 2025.
Tarik Skubal heavily relied on his changeup, throwing it 40 times (38.1% usage) and generating a 33.9% whiff rate overall. In contrast, his changeup usage across his first 19 starts averaged 31.8%. He struck out seven of eight batters during a stretch spanning the first through third innings, showcasing his ability to dominate opposing lineups early.
The only batter who consistently found success against him was Texas’s Corey Seager, who went 2-for-3 and improved to 8-for-12 lifetime against Skubal. Every other Rangers hitter went a combined 2-for-21 with 11 strikeouts. After allowing a one-out double to Adolis García and a single to Kyle Higashioka in the seventh, Skubal struck out Jonah Heim in an eight-pitch battle before being removed by manager A.J. Hinch.
Tyler Holton relieved Skubal but threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score. However, Matt Vierling’s two-out RBI single in the eighth secured the Tigers' victory. Will Vest closed the game by retiring four straight batters, including Texas's top three hitters, for his 16th save.
With 10 wins, 164 strikeouts, and a league-best 2.19 ERA through 20 starts, Skubal remains firmly in Triple Crown contention and could become the first pitcher since Roger Clemens (1997–98) to win the pitching Triple Crown in consecutive seasons.
