The Detroit Tigers saw Tarik Skubal break out in 2024 and turn into the best pitcher in baseball, as he won the 2024 AL Cy Young Award with ease. A year later, in 2025, Skubal is putting together another incredible year and could be on his way to more accolades.
For ESPN's Bradford Doolittle, the current leader in the clubhouse to win the AL Cy Young Award is Skubal, and there's only Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox close to Skubal.
"The Tigers have slumped," Doolittle writes, "and while that's not Skubal's fault, his past month has been a mixed bag and perhaps has kept the window ajar for Crochet."
Doolittle uses AXE, a culmination of statistics to measure a player's impact, with 100 being average, to measure how good these players have been. Skubal has a 143, Crochet has a 138, and the next closest after him is at a 131.
Skubal could win the AL Cy Young Award for the second straight season, something that hasn't been done since Pedro Martinez with the Red Sox at the beginning of the 2000s. But to secure such an award, he needs to turn things around after a couple of shaky starts.
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This season, Skubal has a 2.35 ERA, an 11-3 record, 187 strikeouts, and a 0.86 WHIP in 23 starts across 145.1 innings pitched. Crochet has a 2.48 ERA, a 13-5 record, 188 strikeouts, and a 1.10 WHIP across 24 starts and 152.1 innings pitched.
Both have had their dominant stretches and tough outings this season. While Skubal is Doolittle's leader for the AL Cy Young Award, Crochet has a chance to surpass the Tigers ace.
Skubal will look to rebound from a rough 4.2-inning outing where he allowed four earned runs to the Los Angeles Angels in a matchup against the Minnesota Twins. Between his struggles and the lack of run support, his 1-1 record in his last seven starts has shrunk his lead over Crochet for the AL Cy Young Award.
With a month and a half left for the season, Skubal has a good chance to cement himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball history with a second consecutive Cy Young Award. But he needs to bounce back after a rough few outings since the All-Star break.
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