Predictions and odds for the American League Division Series

Skubal on the Mound for Tigers in Crucial Game 5

On Friday night, Tarik Skubal is set to pitch for the Tigers in a winner-take-all Game 5 against the Mariners. There’s a lot riding on this game.

Skubal, who has been showcased as the reigning American League Cy Young Award recipient, has had a solid playoff run with the Tigers this season. However, the Mariners have posed a challenge for him in 2025. In fact, he allowed three or more earned runs in both of his matchups against Seattle, something he managed to do only 10 times throughout the year.

This matchup isn’t ideal for a southpaw like him, but I mean, it’s not like he’s going to back down just because he’s facing what many consider the best pitcher in the league, especially since he’s had, well, some regular season experience against him.

It’s worth noting, as mentioned earlier, that Skubal has been somewhat out of action this postseason. In Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, he was impressive, striking out 14 Guardians over 7 2/3 innings while giving up just a single run, leading the Tigers to victory.

Just last Sunday, he faced the Mariners and performed well, throwing seven innings with nine strikeouts, despite allowing two earned runs. It’s a bit puzzling, considering his struggles against Seattle earlier this season. Still, he managed to keep his strikeout rate consistent, fanning 13 batters in just over 10 innings.

Given the state of the Tigers’ bullpen, which has seen better days, it seems pretty clear they’re going to lean on their ace in this crucial Game 5.

No other starter from Detroit has pitched more than five innings in this series, especially following their earlier matchup against Cleveland during the wild card. So, even if he gives up a few runs early on, it’s likely that the Tigers will push him as far as he can go. After all, this might be their last game of the season.