BOSTON — At the time, Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal didn’t know where he was going.
He didn’t care.
The reigning American League Cy Young winner wasn’t worried about anything other than catching a flight and competing in the postseason after the Tigers clinched a berth in the 2025 MLB playoffs with a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, Sept. 27, in the second of three games at Fenway Park.
“I’m excited to get to where we’re going to go,” Skubal said after Saturday’s win. “Whatever that situation may be, I’m excited to get there. It’s going to be a ton of fun. It’s why you do what you do — to go and play in these situations.”
Since then, the Tigers learned their opponent — and their destination — for the AL wild-card series, with Skubal scheduled to start Game 1. The postseason picture became clear after Sunday’s games, including the Tigers’ 4-3 loss to the Red Sox.
The Tigers will play the Cleveland Guardians, as the AL Central rivals clash in a best-of-three series at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
“All that matters is whenever we get to Game 1,” Skubal said, referencing the Tigers’ 13 losses in their final 16 games during the regular season. “Executing that game is all that matters. Game 1, Game 2, get to the next round — that’s really all that matters.”
In 2025, Skubal registered a 2.21 ERA with 33 walks and 241 strikeouts across 195⅓ innings in 31 starts.
The 28-year-old is the favorite to repeat as the AL Cy Young winner, which would make him the first repeat AL winner since Pedro Martínez in 1999-2000.
Skubal is eager to start Game 1.
“This is why you play the game,” Skubal said. “This is what you prepare for. This is why you do all the stuff in the offseason that you do. This is why you spend the last seven months taking care of yourself daily. It’s literally why I prepare the way I do.”
Before the Tigers clinched, Skubal was preparing to start Sunday’s series finale (and season finale) against the Red Sox. He was initially scheduled to start Sunday’s game in case the Tigers need a win to clinch a spot in the postseason. After clinching, the Tigers replaced Skubal with right-hander Chris Paddack.
Skubal won’t throw an extra bullpen session.
He will simply wait two extra days to pitch in a game, with Game 1 of the wild-card series set for Tuesday.
“I think my stuff is just as good as it’s been all year,” said Skubal, whose fastball averaged 99 mph in his last start, up 1.4 mph from his average of 97.6 mph this season. “Something I pride myself on is taking care of myself, so that way, the stuff coming out of my hand is going to stay the same.”
Skubal isn’t a stranger to the postseason.
He logged 19 innings over three starts in the 2024 playoffs, registering a 2.37 ERA with two walks and 20 strikeouts. He pitched in Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Houston Astros, then Games 1 and 5 of the ALDS against the Guardians.
In those games, Skubal completed 17 scoreless innings in a row before the Guardians scored five runs in the fifth inning of Game 5, capped by a grand slam from Lane Thomas.
“I’m not really satisfied with anything but a championship,” Skubal said. “I don’t really care about individual awards. Me being good helps our team win a lot of games, so that’s where I put the value in — making sure that I’m ready to go when I’m out there.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal on Tigers’ stumble into MLB playoffs: ‘All that matters is Game 1’
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
