Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and his wife, Jessica, welcomed their second child over the past week. The team placed Skubal on the paternity list on July 23, marking what manager A.J. Hinch described as “baby watch” and allowing him up to three missed games. However, the Tigers expected, and Skubal made sure, to return in time for his next scheduled start against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.
Despite the personal milestone, Skubal didn’t skip a beat. Tigers officials confirmed he was activated from the paternity list just in time, making the start as scheduled.
“Baby Skubal arrived,” Hinch said. “He was really happy. Everybody is healthy, which is good. He will be here ready to pitch tomorrow.”
A Return from Paternity with Purpose
Skubal’s return came after a brief hiatus, and the expectations were high. As Detroit’s top starter and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, his presence in the rotation carries weight. Throughout this season, Skubal has anchored a Tigers rotation that ranks among the best in the American League, leading in categories like ERA and FIP thanks to his pinpoint control and swing‑and‑miss arsenal.
With the Tigers pushing toward the postseason, every start counts. Skubal answered the call by delivering arguably one of the most dominant performances of his 2025 campaign in a pitcher’s duel against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
On August 2, Skubal took the mound against Zack Wheeler in a much‑anticipated matchup. Detroit’s offense exploded early behind homers from Colt Keith, Kerry Carpenter, Gleyber Torres, and a big night from Javier Báez. But it was Skubal who set the tone from the first pitch.
The left-hander kept Philadelphia off balance for six shutout innings, allowing just two hits, issuing zero walks, and whiffing nine batters on just 59 pitches. That efficiency underscored his elite command and pitch mix, which includes a high-velocity fastball and deceptive off‑speed arsenal.
Late Drama, but Still Dominant
Skubal’s shutout bid ended in the seventh when the Phillies rallied for three runs, driven by a J.T. Realmuto RBI double and a Nick Castellanos two-run homer. Still, Skubal buckled down, closing the inning with clutch outs and finishing with a sterling line: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 10 K.
Multiple outlets praised the outing as one of Skubal’s most masterful of the year. American League observers noted that while he gave up runs late, the work through six innings reasserted his dominance and confirmed why he’s in the conversation to repeat as Cy Young award holder–something not done in the AL since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000.
Heading into the Philadelphia series opener, Skubal owned a 10-3 record with a 2.09 ERA, placing him among league leaders in both ERA and WHIP. His stat line through the season spoke volumes: low 2.1 ERA, under 0.85 WHIP, and a strikeout-to-walk ratio hovering around 6:1.
“I thought Tarik was really, really good. I mean, they got him at the end, it happened fast with three hitters, but we swung the bats really well. We played pretty good defense and played a complete game,” Hinch said.
Moreover, this performance comes on the heels of a stretch in which Skubal had posted multiple quality starts and maintained sub-2.00 ERAs across starts, even when he didn’t earn the decision. In recent outings, he’d compiled 33 strikeouts to only 5 walks over 24.2 innings, reinforcing his elite consistency.
Poised for Postseason Push
With the Tigers eyeing a playoff berth, Skubal’s two-pronged story–parenthood and pitching dominance–adds both narrative and substance to Detroit’s push. His ability to balance personal life milestones with elite performance underscores both his maturity and elite-level focus.
As the Tigers head into the final stretch of the season, Skubal will remain the linchpin of their rotation. If he continues delivering outings like this–efficient, electric, and composed—he could not only propel Detroit into the postseason but also cement a place in MLB’s elite, and possibly add a second straight Cy Young to his trophy case.
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