BREAKING: Tarik Skubal has just secured the 2025 American League Cy Young Award, marking a historic second consecutive win for the left-handed ace of the Detroit Tigers. This achievement, confirmed by the Baseball Writers Association of America on Wednesday, positions Skubal as the first pitcher to accomplish back-to-back victories since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19 and the first American League pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000.
Skubal finished the season with an impressive record of 13-6, a 2.21 ERA, and a staggering 241 strikeouts over 195.1 innings. He led the AL in both Baseball-Reference WAR (6.5) and FanGraphs WAR (6.6), dominating in key categories such as ERA, strikeout rate (32.2%), and lowest walk rate (4.4%). His performance is underscored by a blistering fastball averaging nearly 98 mph and a lethal changeup, which held opponents to a mere .154 batting average.
In a historic season, Skubal achieved the most scoreless starts of at least six innings in Tigers history, with 12 such outings—an accomplishment not seen in the majors since Adam Wainwright in 2014. His dominant performance included a two-hit shutout against the Cleveland Guardians on May 25, where he struck out 13 batters in just 94 pitches, achieving a game score of 96, the highest in the AL for 2025.
Reflecting on his success, Skubal credited his development to the organization and his rehabilitation process, stating,
“I think a lot of it came after I got hurt and rehabbed in ’23. I was able to work on things for extended periods of time on rehab assignment that maybe not necessarily you would have been able to do in a spring training setting.”
Skubal’s journey to stardom is inspiring. A ninth-round pick out of Seattle University in 2018, he battled injuries early in his career, including Tommy John surgery in college. However, with improved health and fastball command, he has emerged as one of the premier pitchers in baseball, boasting a combined record of 31-10 and a 2.30 ERA over the past two seasons.
Despite his individual accolades, Skubal’s postseason journey has been bittersweet. He faced disappointment again in the American League Division Series, starting Game 5 for the second consecutive year, only to see the Tigers fall to the Seattle Mariners after a tight contest that ended 3-2 in 15 innings. In that game, Skubal pitched six innings, allowing only one run while striking out 13 batters.
As Skubal approaches free agency, the Tigers face a critical decision. With his agent being Scott Boras, known for rarely securing extensions close to free agency, the Tigers may explore trade options if they cannot reach an agreement.
With this latest victory, Skubal joins a prestigious group of Tigers Cy Young winners, including Denny McLain, Willie Hernandez, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer. As baseball fans celebrate this momentous achievement, all eyes will be on Skubal as he prepares for the next chapter of his career.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
