The Detroit Tigers won a thrilling extra-inning game against the division rival Minnesota Twins. While the Tigers came out on top, staff ace Tarik Skubal wasn't on his game by his standards.
After the game, Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press shared comments from Skubal on his outing against the Twins and what kind of challenges he faced during his outing.
"I've kind of just been fighting myself a little bit physically, probably mentally too," Skubal admitted. "I said some things to myself that I won't say on camera. I went out there and just tried to be aggressive and go out there and compete."
#Tigers ace Tarik Skubal after seven innings of three-run ball in his 24th start: pic.twitter.com/V5A5xSjXYN
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) August 15, 2025
Those internal and physical challenges can derail a pitcher's start very easily. If a pitcher isn't confident on the mound, then their outing typically doesn't go well.
For Skubal, despite not being on his A-game, he had a quality start. He went seven innings, allowing five hits, three runs, two walks, and struck out three batters. His ERA for the year is 2.42, and while it wasn't his best outing, he was still solid.
"I feel like I haven't been executing pitches at the clip that I'm accustomed to, and that's frustrating," Skubal said, "and sometimes, you slow your body down a little bit thinking that would work, or you're trying cues that usually get you back on track. I just haven't found the one that's clicked."
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Even though Skubal is admitting his struggles lately, he's still been one of the best pitchers in baseball. His struggles culminated in a seven-inning quality start is another indication of how great he is.
But the 28-year-old ace still faced some troubles, especially early in the game. From the fourth inning on, Skubal was shutting down the Twins, allowing just one hit during this four-inning stretch.
The AL Cy Young favorite has been incredible in 2025, just like he was in 2024. Even when Skubal struggles, he's still an incredible pitcher. Skubal's struggles are something to monitor, but not something to be concerned about.
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