Tarik Skubal, the two-time Cy Young Award winner drafted straight out of Seattle University, got a seriously mixed bag of cheers and boos in his highly anticipated return to Detroit this week. Pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers against his former team for the very first time since the Tigers dealt him, you could feel the weird energy at Comerica Park from the jump.
The Detroit Dilemma
Man, what a moment. When his name and the Dodgers’ lineup flashed on the videoboard before first pitch, most of the crowd clapped for our guy, the two-time Cy Young legend. But yeah, you heard those jeers too. The Tigers even rolled out a video montage of his seven seasons with them, ending it with a classic “Thank you, Tarik” message. But Skubal? He looked focused, not reacting to the tribute or the crowd as he walked from the bullpen, white towel around his neck, heading to the Dodgers’ dugout. You gotta respect that laser focus. You even saw some young fans rocking white Tigers jerseys with “29 Skubal” on the back, but then topping it off with a blue Dodgers hat. That tells you everything about the conflicting emotions swirling around the Motor City. When he finally jogged to the mound, the boos actually hit first, followed by more cheers. And get this: his first pitch was delayed because of some communication device trouble. Wild.
On the Bump and Beyond the Trade
Once he finally got going, after a 96-mph fastball for a ball, Gleyber Torres smacked Skubal’s second pitch for a double and the whole crowd roared. Ouch. But he settled right back in, showing why he’s a two-time Cy Young winner. He struck out Hao-Yu Lee, then fanned All-Star Kevin McGonigle, and got All-Star Dillon Dingler to fly out. Not a bad recovery at all. McGonigle himself admitted before the game, “It’s weird to see him on the other side.” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch even commented on their familiarity, saying, “If anybody knows him, it’s us. You can know everything about a pitcher, that doesn’t make it easy to hit.” And that’s the truth, right? Skubal, who’s 29 now, was drafted by Detroit in the ninth round back in 2018, straight out of Seattle University. He spent his entire career with the Tigers until they traded him earlier this month to the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers. He said back in July that he wanted to finish the season with Detroit, to chase that World Series title that’s been missing since ’84. But the Tigers, looking ahead, decided to move him before the deadline to snag three minor league prospects, rather than just losing him in free agency.
So, a Seattle University guy is now on a two-time defending champ. Talk about a glow up! Skubal’s journey, from our own Emerald City university to a Cy Young winner now chasing a ring with the Dodgers, is a massive testament to his talent. It’s a huge moment for him, stepping onto the biggest stage. What a story!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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