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Should Detroit Tigers be concerned about non-Tarik Skubal starters?

On “Days of Roar,” Nick Pollack, founder of “Pitcher List,” evaluates the Detroit Tigers’ starting rotation — aside from left-hander Tarik Skubal.

The Detroit Tigers moved up Tarik Skubal’s next start.

Skubal will now pitch in Tuesday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians to start the massive American League Central showdown in Cleveland. This will allow Skubal (13-5, 2.23 ERA) to pitch Sunday on normal rest, if needed, in the regular-season finale at the Boston Red Sox.

He was originally scheduled to pitch Wednesday, with the Tigers (85-71) off Monday. But the Tigers just cut Charlie Morton and don’t have a reliable fourth starter either, so skipping a spot in the rotation was obvious.

The Guardians (84-72) will oppose Skubal by starting right-hander Gavin Williams (11-5, 3.06 ERA). On Wednesday in Cleveland’s 4-0 win over the Tigers, Williams pitched five shutout innings of three-hit ball with two walks and nine strikeouts, outdueling Jack Flaherty.

Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, will pitch on his normal fifth day Tuesday, after throwing six innings Thursday in a 3-1 loss to the Guardians at Comerica Park in Detroit. He allowed one run, leaving with the game tied at 1.

Troy Melton relieved Skubal in the seventh and Cleveland All-Star José Ramírez hit the winning two-run home run to complete the three-game sweep.

The Tigers were then swept over the weekend at Comerica Park by the Atlanta Braves, who entered the series 13 games below .500.

Skubal is tasked with stopping a six-game Tigers losing streak, which has seen their AL Central lead trimmed to one game over the Guardians in what has been a historic collapse.

For Skubal, this will be his second start at Progressive Field this season; he allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings on July 6, though he finished with a no-decision as the Tigers tied the game in the ninth inning and scored six runs in the 10th inning of a 7-2 victory.

Skubal also made two starts at Progressive in last season’s ALDS against the Guardians; he blanked Cleveland over seven innings in Game 2 (another no-decision and Tigers win, on Kerry Carpenter’s epic three-run homer in the ninth inning) and gave up five runs over six innings to take the loss in the deciding Game 5.

In the regular season, Skubal has a career 2.59 ERA with 36 strikeouts in 31⅓ innings at Progressive Field, going 2-1 in his six starts there.

Tigers vs Guardians pitching matchup

Skubal is tasked with starting the first start of the series, going up against Williams.

Tuesday: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal vs Guardians RHP Gavin Williams.Wednesday: Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty vs Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee.Thursday: Tigers TBD vs Guardians LHP Parker Messick.

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