Whenever Tarik Skubal pitches for the Detroit Tigers, there is always a chance for the reigning Cy Young winner to make some history.
He did so on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Skubal drew the start in the finale against the Orioles at Comerica Park, and for Tigers fans that weren’t there, they missed something that only two other Tigers starting pitchers have done.
He left the game after six innings, having allowed four hits, no runs and no walks. He also struck out 11 and dropped his ERA to 2.34. He left the game almost assured of claiming the victory, which would improve his season record to 3-2.
Per the Tigers’ communications social media account, he became the third Tigers pitcher in history to have an outing with zero runs allowed, zero walks, and 11 or more strikeouts.
The other two need no introduction to Tigers fans.
The first pitcher to do it was Max Scherzer. The three-time Cy Young winner did so on June 17, 2012. The other was Aníbal Sánchez, who did it two years later on Aug. 3, 2014.
This isn’t the first time this season Skubal has done something like this, either.
Two weeks ago against the Milwaukee Brewers, he accomplished something that hadn’t been done in the last 25 years.
Skubal went seven innings and gave up four hits that day. He didn’t allow a run, or a walk and he struck out nine as he claimed his second straight win of the season.
With that, he was the first Tigers pitcher since 2000 to have an outing of seven or more innings and give up no walks, strike out nine or more batters and throw no more than 91 pitches.
Skubal had an incredible campaign a year ago. He finished the season 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts, winning the American League pitching triple crown.
Skubal won the Cy Young award. He became the fifth Tigers pitcher to win the Cy Young, as he joined Scherzer (2013), Justin Verlander (2011), Willie Hernández (1984) and Denny McLain (1968 and ’69).
The way he’s pitching this season he’s setting himself up to do what McLain did back in the late 1960s — win back-to-back AL Cy Young awards.
The Tigers drafted him out of Seattle University in 2018. The ninth-round selection moved quickly through the system and made his Majors debut in 2020. He has two more years of team control before he can explore free agency.
The Tigers would be wise to find a way to lock him up before he gets there.
