© Troy Taormina/Imagn
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal pitched three innings of one-run ball in Team USA‘s 9-1 victory over Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday night, and he might not be done.
Skubal, the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner, faced backlash after initially announcing his intent to leave Team USA after his start in the group stage to return to Spring Training with the Tigers.
Under the rules of the event, pitchers may only throw up to 65 pitches in the opening round and must rest at least four days if they throw over 50. That means Skubal can’t (and likely would not have been asked to) pitch again until the knockout rounds.
However, in the quarterfinal round, pitchers can throw up to 80 pitches, and 95 in the semifinals and championship game, with the same rest restrictions in place.
Team USA is expected to easily advance from its group, leading many to ask why Skubal isn’t staying, and why he wasn’t just held out until the knockout rounds if he only intended to pitch one game.
Tarik Skubal Wants To Stay At The World Baseball Classic With Team USA
Following Sunday’s victory, Skubal shockingly told reporters that he didn’t want to leave Team USA, and was hoping to change his plans moving forward to make another start in the tournament.
“I didn’t expect these types of emotions to run through my brain or my thoughts to differ,” Skubal said. “I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp.
“Things have changed, obviously. That’s why I’m going to have some conversations and try to figure out a plan for me. But yeah, I don’t know either way.”
Now, perhaps this is just a matter of PR. Let the Detroit Tigers or infamous agent Scott Boras take the fall. But Skubal is likely to pitch for the Tigers next week in Spring Training anyway. So what’s the difference if he goes through the same routine with Team USA?
If Skubal remains with the team, even if only through the quarterfinals or semifinals, it would allow Team USA to pitch fellow stars Logan Webb and Paul Skenes in the other two knockout round games, presuming they reach that point.
Otherwise, New York Mets’ starter Nolan McLean is likely to get the call. While McLean, 24, was fantastic in limited action for the Mets last year, he doesn’t quite have the resume of the other three.
“…It’s just hard,” Skubal said of leaving the team. “When you get in these environments, and you get this team, it’s hard to walk away from that.”