Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal. Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Tarik Skubal, pitching staff have Tigers on playoff trajectory

By Paul Harris | Last updated 4/29/24

Despite their recent unsuccessful seasons, the Detroit Tigers have had some pretty good pitchers in their history. Those include Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, David Price and, going farther back, Jack Morris, Mickey Lolich and Denny McLain.

But no pitcher in team history in the first six starts of a season has done what Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal has to begin the 2024 campaign: tallying at least 40 strikeouts and less than nine walks. He has struck out 41 and walked six in 36 2/3 innings to go along with a 4-0 record, 1.72 ERA and 0.74 WHIP.

And if you add Skubal's totals from the end of last season, when he was the AL Pitcher of the Month for September, you get an 8-0 record with a 1.35 ERA, 84 strikeouts and 10 walks in 66 2/3 innings.

His most recent win came on Sunday in Detroit's 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit. Skubal allowed a run on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts over seven innings.

"He's one of the best pitchers in the league," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Skubal via Jason Beck of MLB com. "Upper 90's (velocity), location, plus changeup, curve ball, you name it. He's going to be a challenge for everybody."

Skubal leads a pitching staff that has the Tigers in an actual playoff spot despite a weak offense. Detroit's team batting average is .223, which is 25th in the MLB, and its 111 runs is 22nd. Meanwhile, the Tigers have a 3.14 staff ERA, which is fourth in the major leagues.

Sure, it's early to be looking at playoff projections, but the Tigers haven't reached the postseason since 2014. If the season ended today, Detroit's 16-12 record would be good enough for the final AL wild-card spot.

They have only 134 games left to hold on to that spot.

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