Detroit’s Star Pitcher Skubal Limits Team USA Role in World Baseball Classic

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal will only make one start for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic next month. The two-time Cy Young Award winner wants to focus on preparing for Detroit's season opener while still representing his country.

LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal has announced he will limit his participation with Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic to just a single start, no matter how deep the American squad goes in the tournament.

The left-handed pitcher, who has claimed the last two American League Cy Young Awards, wants to stick with his typical spring training preparation schedule to be ready for Detroit’s season opener.

“The reason I didn’t announce it (sooner) was I wanted to keep the momentum on the WBC, but I’m just making one start and then I’ll stick around for a few games,” Skubal explained to media members Monday in Florida. “I haven’t determined what games I’m going to watch. If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys. But yeah, I’m just making one start and getting back on track and getting back to here.”

The 29-year-old made his spring training debut Monday, recording four strikeouts across two shutout innings while allowing just two hits in Detroit’s 3-0 defeat to Minnesota. His next scheduled appearance will be Sunday versus Toronto, followed by his lone Team USA outing during pool play in Houston next week.

Following that international appearance, Skubal plans to return to the Tigers for the remainder of spring training.

“It’s kind of the best of both worlds. That was the communication I had with those guys,” Skubal noted. “There’s some risk obviously, and I’m trying to do both things, trying to pitch for Team USA, but also I understand I need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season. I think it’s kind of the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful they took me in that capacity.”

Skubal, who could enter free agency this fall, is set to take the mound for Detroit’s March 26 season opener in San Diego. The pitcher recently won his arbitration case against the Tigers, securing a $32 million salary for this season rather than the team’s proposed $19 million.

The World Baseball Classic will take place March 5-17 across multiple cities including Tokyo, Houston, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami, where the championship game will be held for the second consecutive tournament.

“The whole point of me doing the WBC was to make sure that I could stay on a normal workload of a spring training regimen and be able to make a start for Team USA and then come back here and continue my normal routine to get ready for opening day,” Skubal emphasized. “I think everything’s going to stay the same. I’m not ramping up earlier than I need to. I don’t want that narrative out there. I’m treating this as I’m going to Team USA, making a start, coming back to Lakeland and getting ready to go for opening day.”

The two-time All-Star has dominated American League hitters over the past two seasons, capturing back-to-back Cy Young Awards and ERA titles. Last season, he posted a 13-6 record with a career-low 2.21 ERA across 31 starts, striking out 241 batters while issuing only 33 walks in 195 1/3 innings. His 0.891 WHIP led all qualifying pitchers.