Tarik Skubal’s Dominant Comeback: Why the Tigers’ Rising Ace Is Shaking Up MLB Right Now

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is putting together the kind of late-summer surge that turns a solid season into a Cy Young résumé. After outdueling Zack Wheeler in Philadelphia on August 2, the 28-year-old stands at 11-3 with a 2.18 ERA, 181 strikeouts and a microscopic 0.83 WHIP, all while anchoring a club now flirting with first place in the AL Central. Skubal’s four-seam fastball averaged 97 mph in that showdown—his highest single-game mark this season—and the pitch’s spin rate has climbed nearly 100 rpm since April, a tweak Detroit’s analytics staff attributes to a slight adjustment in grip. The southpaw has also sharpened his splitter, generating a 41 percent whiff rate over his past five starts, up from 28 percent in the first half. Next up is a marquee home start against the Los Angeles Angels on August 8, a matchup some analysts are calling a “statement game” in the American League awards race. The Tigers have arranged their rotation so Skubal will face division rivals Cleveland and Minnesota later this month, maximizing his impact on the standings. Momentum is already building: a recent national players’ poll gave Skubal a unanimous nod as the league’s most dominant starter since the All-Star break, ahead of Gerrit Cole and Corbin Burnes. His 1.34 second-half ERA ranks first among qualified pitchers, and opponents are batting just .178 against him in that span. Fantasy managers and sports-book oddsmakers are taking notice too. Skubal’s strikeout prop has jumped to 8.5 for his next appearance, while his Cy Young odds have shortened from +750 in July to +280 entering the weekend. What to watch: • Fastball velocity—maintaining 96-97 mph deep into games has been key to late-inning dominance. • Ground-ball rate—up to 52 percent this month thanks to more splitter usage, limiting long balls in Comerica’s spacious gaps. • Health—Skubal missed time in 2023 with flexor tendon surgery, but Detroit has kept him on an extra-day schedule twice this season to manage workload. If the Tigers capture their first division crown since 2014, expect Skubal’s name to be etched at the top of every postseason preview. For now, all eyes turn to Comerica Park as Detroit’s ace looks to add another highlight reel performance—and perhaps tighten his grip on the Cy Young front-runner mantle.