Rain may have washed away some of the excitement surrounding the opening game of the Tigers-Pirates series, but it didn’t stop the Tigers from delivering a commanding performance. In a 9-2 rout of the Pirates, Tarik Skubal continued his stellar season, striking out six over 5⅔ innings while giving up just two runs on six hits. Moreover, his 103-pitch outing once again showcased why he’s one of the most electric arms in the league.
But while Skubal performed as per the expectations, fans were left disappointed on the other side. Paul Skenes, the Pirates’ flamethrowing rookie sensation, was a no-show on the mound. The fans couldn’t witness a marquee duel between two of the game’s most exciting young pitchers. But why?
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch offered some insight into the missed matchup. “I’ll make it really simple from our standpoint. I went to Tarik and asked him which game he wanted, and he said the early one. At that point, we’re gonna lock in Tarik for the game that he can prepare for,” Hinch said to the Detroit News.
Skubal was supposed to pitch in Game 2 on Wednesday, and Skenes was lined up for Game 3 on Thursday. But Wednesday’s game was rained out, and Thursday turned into a doubleheader. it felt like everything was falling into place for a dream pitching duel.
But when the lineups came out, nothing had changed. Skubal opted to start the first game, and Skenes started the second game. Both teams stuck to their plans, and just like that, the matchup everyone wanted to see never happened.
Skubal’s performance just served as a reminder for the Pirates about what they missed by leaving Skenes out for the first game. Skenes is 4-6 with an ERA of 1.78 and 97 SOs in 15 appearances this year. He was someone who would have taken the fight to the Tigers.
But honestly, it kind of made sense from the Pirates’ perspective. They probably didn’t want to throw Skenes against Skubal in a matchup where the odds weren’t going to be in their favor. If they were looking for the best shot at stealing a win in this series, saving Skenes for a game where he didn’t have to face Skubal was probably their play.
Everything is going right for the Tigers this year
Be it their on-field performance or off-field numbers, the Tigers are finding all positive this year. Currently leading the AL Central with a 48-27 record, nothing could have been better than this. Just before this series, USA TODAY had the Tigers ranked as the No. 1 team in all of baseball.
Powered by Tarik Skubal’s outstanding 1.99 ERA, the Tigers currently rank fourth in the league in team ERA at 3.34. That’s an undeniable sign of the pitching dominance they’re bringing to the table. But it’s not just the arms carrying this team. Offensively, they’ve quietly put together a strong campaign as well.
Ranking fifth in total runs scored with 358, the Tigers’ offense may not be overpowering, but it’s been more than enough to complement their elite pitching and keep them at the top of the division.
There’s more…
Well, the Tigers are not just winning, they’re drawing big crowds, too. With an average attendance jump of over 7,700 per game, up to 26,809, they have posted the second-largest increase in MLB this season, trailing only the Mets. You take the example of their recent series against the Cubs.
The series drew a total of 121,509 fans, Comerica Park’s second-highest three-game total in the past decade. With each game crossing the 40,000 mark, it was a clear sign that the Tigers are delivering a product fans believe in and are showing up for.
The post Tigers Manager Reveals Why Highly Anticipated Paul Skenes vs. Tarik Skubal Duel Never Happened appeared first on EssentiallySports.
