Tarik Skubal will headline Team USA’s World Baseball Classic schedule with a carefully managed assignment that underscores how cautiously the Detroit Tigers ace is being handled ahead of Opening Day. Early reports link Skubal’s WBC debut to pool play, featuring a single, shortened outing that shapes Team USA’s broader pitching strategy for the tournament. It also signals when fans should circle their calendars for the Skubal vs. Great Britain matchup—one of the most anticipated upcoming sporting events in Houston.

Those plans came into focus with confirmation that the back-to-back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner will make only one start for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic before returning to Tigers camp, balancing national pride with his role as Detroit’s ace in WBC preparations. Multiple outlets report that the World Baseball Classic schedule includes a March 7 matchup with Great Britain that is expected to serve as his lone outing. That contest is widely viewed as the likely Skubal vs. Great Britain start, giving fans one marquee chance to see him in red, white, and blue before he shifts back to his club ramp-up.

The Talkin’ Baseball Podcast highlighted the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), citing USA Today’s Bob Nightengale’s report as the latest indication of when the southpaw will take the mound for Team USA in pool play.

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“Tarik Skubal is scheduled to face Great Britain on March 7th in the World Baseball Classic start that he says will be his only one, per @BNightengale.”

The post, shared on Monday night, aligns with expectations that Skubal will work a brief outing before handing things off to Team USA’s deep pitching staff. For now, the key date is March 7, when Detroit’s ace is slated to make his lone appearance on the international stage.