Skubal will leave Team USA to return to Tigers camp

HOUSTON -- Tarik Skubal will not make any more starts for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic after all. The ace left-hander will return to Tigers Spring Training in Lakeland, Fla., after the United States' game against Mexico on Monday night at Daikin Park.

U.S. manager Mark DeRosa, and Skubal himself, confirmed before Monday's game that he won't pitch again in the tournament.

But Skubal said that even though he couldn't keep pitching in the 2026 Classic, he wants to return to pitch for Team USA again in the future -- whether that's in the next World Baseball Classic, or when baseball returns to the Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles (which could potentially include big league players).

"I've been trying to make it work. I promise I have," Skubal said. "I love America. I love our country. I love everything that this tournament's about. I'll be the first to sign up for the 2028 Olympics if they want to have me."

This time, Skubal will follow his original plan. From the start of the World Baseball Classic, the Tigers ace and back-to-back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was supposed to make just one start before returning to Tigers camp to get ready for Opening Day.

Skubal made that start against Great Britain on Saturday, pitching three innings in a U.S. victory. But playing for Team USA made Skubal's decision much harder than he anticipated. He agonized over it.

"I didn't sleep much the last few days," Skubal said. "I was trying to make it work. I've been on my phone trying to somehow make the calendar change days or somehow move Opening Day. But I don't have that power."

Pitching for his country at the World Baseball Classic far exceeded his expectations going into the tournament.

"It blew it out of the water. I had no idea," Skubal said. "I've never worn 'USA' across my chest, and to be able to wear the stars and stripes and have pride in that … I loved it, and I want to experience it again, and I plan on experiencing it again.

"I just assumed it would be an All-Star Game-type of vibe. And it's absolutely not. It couldn't be farther from that."

After his start, Skubal said he was considering staying with the U.S. to pitch again in the 2026 Classic, but that he needed to discuss things with the Tigers, his agent and his family before making a final decision.

"This is gonna be one of the tougher decisions I've made in my career so far," Skubal said after the game against Great Britain.

Ultimately, he decided to return to Tigers camp to focus on the 2026 MLB season, which is his final season before he reaches free agency.

"We walked through the scenario the entire season," DeRosa said. "With him agreeing to come and pitch against Great Britain, we were always under the assumption that he was going to leave after pool play. I know that got clouded a little bit because getting on the mound in the USA jersey, being in the room with these guys, is special. But he's going to leave after tonight and go back to Lakeland and be at Tigers camp."

Skubal took a day to settle on his course of action, but he didn't want to make his teammates -- both on Team USA and the Tigers -- wait too long on him.

"I just needed to make a decision for everyone involved," Skubal said. "I didn't want to drag things out. I'm not here for drama."

Skubal could have been lined up to pitch a potential World Baseball Classic championship game for the United States. Now, that start would likely go to Mets star rookie Nolan McLean, if the U.S. team makes it that far.

"I would be worried about every pitch he throws," DeRosa said. "I know what's at stake for him. I'm over the moon he decided to show in the first place for us -- I really am -- and take the ball for us. I think it meant a lot to a lot of guys in that room. We know where his heart is. If he was in a different situation, he wouldn't be leaving."

Trying to fit Skubal back into the Team USA rotation for that game would have caused problems for his schedule with Detroit, as he prepares for an Opening Day start and for a crucial season of his career.

"The way that we were gonna have to go about it, to have me pitch in the finals, I didn't love the back end of it," Skubal said.

As the most dominant pitcher in baseball today, he could be in line for a historic contract next year. If he pitched for Team USA in the WBC finals, though, he would have to make his starts on short rest going into Opening Day and ramp up more suddenly than he wants.

Skubal wanted to have it all, but he couldn't find a way to make the logistics work.

"A lot of that risk and injury stuff is where I drew the line," Skubal said. "There's a lot of risk associated with that. And then you add in the adrenaline and the heightened [environment of the WBC]. There's just a big jump in workload and that's what you want to stay away from in spring as you're building up.

"It's just being smart. Obviously, I know what this season means, too. The whole thing played into it for sure."

Even now, he's not at peace with his decision.

"I'm still not," Skubal said. "I think the only way I'll be at peace with it is in Miami celebrating after we win the whole [freaking] thing. That'll give me some peace."