Tarik Skubal put American League on notice in Sunday Night Baseball debut originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Tarik Skubal met the moment.
On a night when the Detroit Tigers hosted their first Sunday Night Baseball game since 2017, the 2024 Cy Young winner fed off the standing-room only crowd at Comerica Park and abused the Twins hitters he faced.
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As ESPN’s Buster Olney noted, Skubal went into Sunday night’s game against Minnesota with 32% of the pitches he has thrown this season resulting in called or swinging strikes. That’s the best in Major League Baseball.
But with the baseball world watching Sunday night, Skubal took it to another level. Under the lights and with no other game in the league to watch, Skubal was nasty. An unbelievable 45% of his pitches against the Twins were either called or swinging strikes, a staggering number that highlights his dominance.
Skubal was nearly flawless on the mound. He threw seven innings of one-hit baseball, walking one and completely shutting down Minnesota’s lineup for most of the game. Skubal also tied his career high with 13 strikeouts, further underscoring his status as one of the premier strikeout pitchers in the game.
Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal faces the Minnesota Twins on June 29, 2025, at Comerica Park. © Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
His final pitch of the night was clocked at 100 miles per hour.
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His performance was nothing short of spectacular and proved why he’s considered the best pitcher in the game right now.
While some can feel the Sunday Night game is an inconvenience, Skubal was clearly excited about it. It was his first appearance on Sunday Night Baseball, and the Tigers’ first time hosting the national broadcast since 2017.
Skubal’s ability to generate strikes with both precision and power is what sets him apart.
For Skubal, Sunday’s game wasn’t just about racking up the strikeouts; it sent a message to the rest of baseball. He and the Tigers are the team to beat in the American League.
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Related: Tigers Fans Have Waited Eight Years for a Night Like This at Comerica
Related: Is This Power Hitter the Missing Piece for Detroit’s Postseason Push?
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.