DETROIT -- The first step toward a Cy Young repeat for Tarik Skubal is complete. The Tigers’ ace is one of three finalists for the award, joining Boston’s Garrett Crochet and Detroit native Hunter Brown of the Astros.
The winner will be announced on Nov. 12. Skubal, a unanimous selection last year by the 30 voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, is favored to win again. He would be the first back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner since Pedro Martínez in 1999-2000, and the first Tiger to do so since Denny McLain in 1968-69.
Skubal doesn’t have a pitching Triple Crown in his favor this year, but he shouldn’t need it. He led AL pitchers again with 6.6 bWAR. His 2.21 ERA was nearly a quarter of a run better than second-place Brown (2.43). His 2.45 FIP far outpaced second-place Crochet (2.89). His 7.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio was nearly two better than Crochet in second at 5.54.
Just as important, Skubal led the Tigers on the field on days he pitched. There’s a different feeling facing the Tigers when Skubal is on the mound. Though Skubal’s 13 wins didn’t even lead the Tigers – Casey Mize had 14 – the Tigers went 21-10 in games Skubal started during the regular season, compared with 66-65 in the games that he didn’t (including 18-10 in Mize’s starts).
“Sitting in my chair, one of the easiest things to do and one of the most exciting things to do is hand the ball to the best pitcher in baseball,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Game 5 of their AL Division Series against the Mariners. “He obviously is somebody deeply trusted in our clubhouse to bring intensity, to bring high-end pitching and bring results.
“We win together, we lose together, but he leads us.”
Skubal was one of five AL pitchers to toss a shutout this season, but his complete-game two-hit blanking of the Guardians on May 25 was a masterpiece with no walks and 13 strikeouts. His 94th and final pitch of the day was a 102.6 mph fastball for a strikeout, the hardest pitch of his career.
Skubal tossed seven or more scoreless innings in nine of his 31 regular-season starts. He allowed one run over 30 2/3 innings in a four-start stretch from May 25 to June 12, then tossed 19 more scoreless innings from late June into July.
“He put it all out on the line all season,” Gold Glove catcher Dillon Dingler said after the Tigers’ Game 5 loss in the Division Series. “That’s the kind of pitcher he is. ... He’s awesome. I’m sure I’ll always remember this season and what he accomplished. I’ll remember last year, but it was first-hand experience for me this year, catching him. It was awesome.”