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As Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal walked off the mound on Wednesday, July 29, the 34,406 fans at Comerica Park got on their feet.
The reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner took a second to soak in the cheers in his honor before descending into the third base dugout.
Tigers fans showed appreciation in what could have been Skubal's final start in a Tigers uniform, depending on what happens between now and the Monday, Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Skubal is the biggest name to watch because of his expiring contract and the Tigers (51-58) sitting in the bottom half of the AL wild-card standings.
"There is a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control in," Skubal said postgame. "So, I try to be pretty present all the time. And when the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it is special. It will never not be special and it is something I have always appreciated.
"Hopefully they feel the same way. Hopefully they feel like I have given everything to the team, to the city. Because I truly have. Those are always special and I will never forget those for sure."
Skubal's day began and ended in the same way. He came into Wednesday's start at 999 career strikeouts. In the game's first at-bat, Orioles left fielder Taylor Ward chased a changeup, Skubal's signature pitch, below the zone for his 1,000th career strikeout. He took a moment after the out to tip his cap and put his hand over his heart for the roaring crowd.
When he left with two outs in the seventh inning with a six-run lead still intact, he clapped toward the crowd during his second ovation of the afternoon.
THE GAME: Tigers waste Tarik Skubal's last start before deadline in loss to O's
"That one, for whatever reason, felt more special than every other one," Skubal said of hitting 1,000 career strikeouts. "The first time I struck out 200 in a season felt special to me and I don't really know why."
"And then you take in my career and you just kind of get a little bit nostalgic in those moments of my story. I don't know if I could have convinced myself when I was 19 that I would strike out 1,000 guys in the big leagues."
The Tigers' 7-1 lead when Skubal left with two outs in the seventh turned into a 10-9 loss in 12 innings. Kyle Finnegan couldn't get that final out, which ultimately resulted in five Orioles runs in the seventh. It turned into an extra-inning back-and-forth, with the Orioles getting the last laugh on a Colton Cowser game-winning single.
"There's a lot to unpack with giving up 10 runs after the seventh inning," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
There was plenty of energy in the ballpark before Skubal's first pitch. The robust Wednesday afternoon crowd loudly cheered for their ace and while the Tigers built a big lead. They also let their boos be heard as the Orioles chiseled away.
Hinch commended Skubal for putting the blinders up as best he could heading into this start.
"He had to pitch with a lot on his plate," Hinch said. "It's very obvious."
Skubal does not have another scheduled game before the deadline, which falls on an off day for the Tigers following their next series against the Athletics. Whether he is a Tiger or on another team on Tuesday, Skubal is keeping his focus on the process as a pitcher.
"[The media] is craving it more than me," Skubal said about a resolution coming one way or the other. "I got to play baseball. That's my focus, to get a little bit better each and every day. When it is my day to toe the mound, I am going to give it everything I got and go out and compete. That's all I can really control."
"... Right now, I am a Detroit Tiger. I don't really want to speculate a ton on what is happening or what the future holds because I don't know."
Contact Jared Ramsey at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal won't speculate on trades: 'Right now, I am a Detroit Tiger'
Continue reading...
The reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner took a second to soak in the cheers in his honor before descending into the third base dugout.
Tigers fans showed appreciation in what could have been Skubal's final start in a Tigers uniform, depending on what happens between now and the Monday, Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Skubal is the biggest name to watch because of his expiring contract and the Tigers (51-58) sitting in the bottom half of the AL wild-card standings.
"There is a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control in," Skubal said postgame. "So, I try to be pretty present all the time. And when the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it is special. It will never not be special and it is something I have always appreciated.
"Hopefully they feel the same way. Hopefully they feel like I have given everything to the team, to the city. Because I truly have. Those are always special and I will never forget those for sure."
Skubal's day began and ended in the same way. He came into Wednesday's start at 999 career strikeouts. In the game's first at-bat, Orioles left fielder Taylor Ward chased a changeup, Skubal's signature pitch, below the zone for his 1,000th career strikeout. He took a moment after the out to tip his cap and put his hand over his heart for the roaring crowd.
When he left with two outs in the seventh inning with a six-run lead still intact, he clapped toward the crowd during his second ovation of the afternoon.
THE GAME: Tigers waste Tarik Skubal's last start before deadline in loss to O's
"That one, for whatever reason, felt more special than every other one," Skubal said of hitting 1,000 career strikeouts. "The first time I struck out 200 in a season felt special to me and I don't really know why."
"And then you take in my career and you just kind of get a little bit nostalgic in those moments of my story. I don't know if I could have convinced myself when I was 19 that I would strike out 1,000 guys in the big leagues."
The Tigers' 7-1 lead when Skubal left with two outs in the seventh turned into a 10-9 loss in 12 innings. Kyle Finnegan couldn't get that final out, which ultimately resulted in five Orioles runs in the seventh. It turned into an extra-inning back-and-forth, with the Orioles getting the last laugh on a Colton Cowser game-winning single.
"There's a lot to unpack with giving up 10 runs after the seventh inning," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
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There was plenty of energy in the ballpark before Skubal's first pitch. The robust Wednesday afternoon crowd loudly cheered for their ace and while the Tigers built a big lead. They also let their boos be heard as the Orioles chiseled away.
Hinch commended Skubal for putting the blinders up as best he could heading into this start.
"He had to pitch with a lot on his plate," Hinch said. "It's very obvious."
Skubal does not have another scheduled game before the deadline, which falls on an off day for the Tigers following their next series against the Athletics. Whether he is a Tiger or on another team on Tuesday, Skubal is keeping his focus on the process as a pitcher.
"[The media] is craving it more than me," Skubal said about a resolution coming one way or the other. "I got to play baseball. That's my focus, to get a little bit better each and every day. When it is my day to toe the mound, I am going to give it everything I got and go out and compete. That's all I can really control."
"... Right now, I am a Detroit Tiger. I don't really want to speculate a ton on what is happening or what the future holds because I don't know."
Contact Jared Ramsey at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal won't speculate on trades: 'Right now, I am a Detroit Tiger'
Continue reading...
