Tarik Skubal’s connection to Seattle runs deep, and as the Tigers chase another postseason win, the city once again becomes part of his journey. Long before he was the face of Detroit’s rotation, he was just another college kid trying to find his footing in the Pacific Northwest, while eating tacos from his favorite taco joint, Tacos Chukis.
“I have dreams of this place [Tacos Chukis],” Skubal said with a laugh.
“It’s always good to get back to this city. This city means a lot to me. Obviously I spent four years here. I was born in California, raised in Arizona, but I feel like I kind of grew up here in college, getting independent. So this place will always have a special place in my heart, for sure.”
Still, sentimentality only lasts so long in October. As he prepares to take the mound in Game 2 of the ALDS, Skubal is ready to turn what was once home into hostile territory.
“I love the environment. It’s what you prepare for. It’s what you work for. It’s why you do the things you do in the off-season,” Skubal said. “It’s all for moments like this, to just go play baseball in the biggest stage, to go out and compete and win a championship. It’s why I do what I do. It’s all the motivation that I need.”
He’s not there to reminisce; he’s there to win.
From Seattle University to the ALDS Stage
Long before he was an All-Star, a Cy Young winner, or the anchor of Detroit’s rotation, Skubal was a kid from a small Arizona town called Kingman, clinging to one opportunity–a modest offer from Seattle University.
“I had one offer coming out of high school,” Skubal said. “I’m from a small town. It was a 25% scholarship, I think.”
At the time, it wasn’t nearly enough to make college affordable. Skubal recalled sitting down with his parents during his freshman year, preparing for one of the hardest conversations of his life– telling his coaches he couldn’t afford to stay.
“I had a meeting that winter, my freshman year winter–I had a good fall–and I was gonna go in there like, ‘Hey, I can’t afford to go to school anymore,’” Skubal said. “That was my conversation with my parents. They’re like, ‘Yeah, we can’t afford to put you through school.’
“Before I even told them [Seattle U coaches] that, they offered me more scholarship money,” Skubal continued. “Which is crazy how life works like that. I was able to keep that scholarship, and then I had a successful freshman year and they gave me a little bit more money. Then I could afford to go to school.”
That unexpected turn of fortune kept his dream alive, and changed everything. Seattle University, a small Division I program tucked in the heart of the city, has quietly built a reputation for developing players who grind, scrap, and claw their way into professional baseball. The Redhawks play without the spotlight of powerhouse programs, but for Skubal, that fit perfectly.
He wasn’t handed anything. He earned it.
The left-hander would go on to dominate at Seattle U, posting a 2.11 ERA as a freshman and quickly becoming the program’s most promising arm. Even when Tommy John surgery sidelined him later in his college career, the foundation of resilience and gratitude was already there.
“That was one of those weird things where life works out in weird, crazy ways,” Skubal said. “It’s full circle, for sure. There’s a lot of people that have made sacrifices in my life, family included, to where I’m literally in this position right now. I think that’s pretty cool. That’s the beauty of the game.”
Skubal Returns to Seattle U
Skubal made a quiet detour that spoke volumes about who he is, and where he came from. Upon arriving in Seattle for the ALDS, the Detroit ace stopped by Seattle U, the place that shaped him long before the bright lights and big stages.
The Redhawks baseball program shared the moment proudly on social media, posting:
“CY Young winner, Seattle U Hall of Famer, and Redhawk for life. Always a pleasure when we can welcome Tarik Skubal back to campus and have him pass down his wisdom to the next generation of Redhawks. #TogetherWeSoar #ProRedhawks.”
Skubal spent time with current Seattle U players, talking about the grind, the setbacks, and the mindset it takes to climb from a small Division I school to Major League dominance.
“I think it’s important to just understand that it’s not a dream, you know? You can dream about playing in the big leagues and getting drafted and all this stuff, but those things can become a reality for all those guys,” Skubal said. “And I think it’s important to get back in front of them and talk to them and share some knowledge.
“I don’t have all the answers either, but just share some knowledge and–like, this is real. It’s not a fantasy. You can actually accomplish what you put your mind to. So I think that, for me, it’s why I want to get in front of those guys and always try and take care of them when I’m here.”
The connection didn’t stop with a visit, though. Skubal invited the entire Seattle U baseball team to the ballpark, personally securing tickets to Game 2 so they could experience postseason baseball up close. It was a full-circle gesture from a pitcher who’s never forgotten where his story began.
When he steps onto the mound at T-Mobile Park on Sunday, just a few miles from that campus, it won’t just be another postseason start. It’ll be a return to the city and the school that first believed in him, and helped him believe in himself.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Back Where It All Began: Tarik Skubal’s Seattle Story Adds Meaning to Game 2 appeared first on Heavy Sports.