Tarik Skubal became the first American League pitcher to seven losses this season, joining Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo in a tie for the Major League lead. In another era when decisions were viewed differently, that might be a big deal for a rookie; the Tigers once pulled Jeremy Bonderman from the rotation in 2003 so he wouldn’t lose 20 games as a 20-year-old rookie.

These days, it’s more about the process than the record. In that respect, Skubal is slowly winning the battle to develop through the losses. It isn’t as obvious as fellow rookie Casey Mize, and not as fast as some might have dreamed after watching him toy with Bryce Harper and other veteran hitters in Spring Training, but it’s building.

“We’re watching Tarik mature,” manager A.J. Hinch said after Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to Cleveland at Comerica Park. “He’s starting to learn himself, even more so than he’s learning the league. As he incorporates both of those, he’s going to be a little bit more pitch efficient, but the stuff is real.”

The way Cleveland starter Aaron Civale quieted Detroit’s offense for his third win in as many meetings this season, Skubal was in line for a loss from his second pitch Tuesday, which Cesar Hernandez lofted into the left-field seats for a leadoff home run. But Skubal’s ensuing work kept the Tigers close.

What felt at season’s start like a turning of tables in the division rivalry is feeling more like the Tigers’ struggles of recent years. Cleveland has taken six in a row against Detroit, including the first two games of this series, since the Tigers put up back-to-back wins to begin the season. However, the Tigers’ starting pitching is doing its part. Detroit rallied in the ninth to bring the go-ahead run to the plate again, only to leave the bases loaded for a second consecutive night.

Six days after Skubal racked up a career-high nine strikeouts over five innings of two-run ball in Seattle for his first win of the season, he did it again, this time in defeat. He became the first Tigers rookie to fan nine or more batters in consecutive starts since Mark Leiter Sr. in 1991. Leiter’s son was born that year, and now pitches in the Tigers’ system for Double-A Erie.

Justin Verlander didn’t strike out nine batters in any outing his rookie year; his season high in 2006 was eight, which he did once. Michael Fulmer had four starts with nine or more strikeouts in his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2016, but all in different months. Their highest total in consecutive starts was six. While strikeouts are more prevalent across baseball now, Skubal’s ability to induce them is more than that.

It’s not just the strikeout total, but how Skubal is getting them. His reliance on the fastball is fading as his belief in his secondary pitches grows. His slider is progressing as a swing-and-miss pitch as he gains better command of it, accounting for five strikeouts Tuesday. Hernandez whiffed twice on it after jumping on a fastball over the plate for his home run. José Ramírez swung and missed at it on a full count in the first inning with Skubal at risk of back-to-back walks following the homer. Jordan Luplow fanned on a slider at the top of the zone on Skubal’s 93rd and final pitch to strand a runner on second.

“I wasn’t really commanding my fastball well early,” Skubal said, “and the slider was more my strike pitch there. I felt like I had better command and feel for my slider there in the first, and I think that’s kind of what set up the game.”

Skubal was also opportunistic with his curveball, dropping it into the zone for a called third strike on rookie Owen Miller in the second. He threw it just 10 times, but drew four called strikes from it.

“That’s a pitch I’m getting more and more confident in,” Skubal said, “and that’s the pitch that I’m understanding how to use more, when to use it late for a freeze or when to steal a strike of when is a guy going to swing and maybe hit this one soft, just understanding how that pitch works for me.”

Skubal struck out nearly half of his final 20 batters, and ended each of his final four innings with a punchout.

“You talk to guys that have faced him, and having been around him now, it’s clear why he can be good at this level,” Hinch said. “He’s taking step-by-step progress, and tonight was another step forward."