Skubal talking with Tigers as he weighs Classic, Opening Day plans

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Hours after Tarik Skubal left open the possibility of making another start for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said they’ll sleep on it before making a decision.

“I don't think anything's been determined,” Hinch said Sunday morning before the Tigers faced the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark. “I think he's incredibly emotional about the experience. It's a difficult time that weighs heavily on players because they want to do it all. …

“I talked to him briefly and kind of let him talk through his emotions and let him talk through what's on his mind. We agreed to talk again as things settled down a little bit and he got a good night's sleep. He'll wake up and get a good work day in today.”

Skubal remains with Team USA in Houston for now. The emotions of pitching for his country were clearly impactful as Skubal talked with reporters following his outing Saturday night against Great Britain at Daikin Park.

Skubal allowed a Nate Eaton home run on his first pitch of the night but regrouped to not allow another ball out of the infield over his three innings. His lone additional baserunner was an infield single that included a Gunnar Henderson throwing error at short. Skubal struck out five.

Skubal had just finished his start when Ken Rosenthal posed the question of a second outing at the end of an in-dugout interview. Skubal didn’t address it at the time but acknowledged he was weighing the idea after the game.

"I didn't expect these types of emotions to run through my brain, or my thoughts to differ," Skubal said. "I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp. Things have changed, obviously. That's why I'm gonna have some conversations and try to figure out a plan for me. But yeah, I don't know either way."

A second start was never part of the plan Skubal and the Tigers put together to fit a WBC start into his buildup towards Opening Day on March 26 in San Diego. Originally, he was to rejoin Tigers camp this coming week and slot back into the rotation at some point late in the week. But plans can change, and Skubal could potentially stay on or close to his normal schedule to pitch for Team USA in the quarterfinals next Friday or Saturday.

“I don't know how it all ends, but I saw the interview and I saw the emotion and I know the human and I know that everything matters to him,” Hinch said. “He's in a tough spot to accomplish everything.”

The balancing act Skubal is trying to pull between career and country, particularly in his contract year, has similar sympathy in the Tigers’ clubhouse.

"It's a lot to weigh for him,” Justin Verlander said. “I haven't talked to him, but you are gauging what the intensity level was in the game and whether that feels too much or not. He has a lot more information now, and that's all you can make the decision on: information. He's garnered a lot more info just having been there and throwing in a game and knowing what it feels like and what stress it put on the body."

That stress level is the biggest difference between a WBC quarterfinals start and a Spring Training outing. He would be on a pitch count either way.

"The competitor side of you wants to go back out there,” fellow Tigers All-Star Riley Greene said. “But you also have to think, like, I haven't thrown more than however many pitches, wherever he is in his build-up. And instead of being in Lakeland, Fla., it's in Houston at the WBC. The effort level on your pitches is way up. But we support him either way, 100 percent.

"It goes both ways for us. We want to watch him pitch again, but we also want him to pitch for us."

The Tigers are supporting him regardless.

"He's got to do what's best for him,” Spencer Torkelson said. “That's it."