What might have been Tarik Skubal’s final appearance as a Tiger ended in a tough loss.
Leading 7-0 against the Orioles as they entered the seventh inning, Detroit saw the game slip away, allowing ten runs over the next five innings and ultimately losing 10-9 after 12 innings at Comerica Park.
This marked Baltimore’s largest comeback since they flipped a nine-run deficit into an 11-10 victory against the Red Sox in 2009, and it’s the first time the Orioles have overcome a 7-0 gap since winning 9-7 over Toronto in 1995.
“It’s been a rough one,” Skubal reflected. “We had a solid 7-0 lead, and losing like that is just… well, I can’t even recall the final score, but it stings.”
Despite the defeat, Skubal demonstrated why he’s currently a sought-after player on the trade market.
The lefty pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up just five hits while striking out six batters, boosting his season record to 7-1 with a 2.79 ERA.
He also reached a personal milestone with 1,000 career strikeouts, becoming the fastest left-handed pitcher to do so since the legendary Randy Johnson.
“Getting to that strikeout number hit me in a different way,” Skubal shared. “Reaching 200 was a milestone, but approaching a thousand felt really incredible.”
Fans in Detroit showed their appreciation with a standing ovation, aware that this could have been his last game with the team.
Skubal described the support as “something special,” emphasizing that he wanted to “live in the moment,” but another loss only increases the chances he might get traded before the August 3 deadline.
Following the series against the Orioles, the Tigers sit near the bottom of the AL Central Division with a record of 51 wins and 58 losses, and only four games left for the final wild card spot.
Since returning from experimental elbow surgery, Skubal has recorded a 4-3 record, a 2.86 ERA, and 71 strikeouts across 53 1/3 innings, drawing interest from teams like the Brewers and Dodgers.
This trade deadline is the Tigers’ last opportunity to gain something in return for Skubal, whose one-year, $32 million arbitration contract concludes after the World Series, making him a free agent thereafter.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch, when asked about Skubal potentially leaving, said, “It’s not hypothetical, it’s not possible at all. I have so much I want to say, but discussing hypotheticals is pointless.”
Earlier this month, Skubal mentioned his desire to stay with the Tigers, hoping to make a push for the playoffs and, possibly, the World Series.
After all, he was drafted by Detroit and has spent seven seasons with the team.
But as time goes on, that hope appears to be fading.
