RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 4 sourcesTarik Skubal did not want to call Wednesday afternoon a farewell.
He did not want to guess where he will be after the MLB trade deadline, either. Yet as the Detroit Tigers ace walked off the Comerica Park mound with two outs in the seventh inning , the reaction from the crowd made the uncertainty impossible to ignore.
Detroit fans rose for Skubal once again, offering a long ovation during what may have been his final start in a Tigers uniform.
Skubal tried to stay where he has remained throughout weeks of trade rumors.
In the moment.
Tarik Skubal Cherishes Ovation From Tigers Fans
The afternoon included a career milestone, a dominant opening stretch and an ending nobody around Detroit wanted to consider.
Skubal struck out the first Baltimore Orioles batter he faced to record the 1,000th strikeout of his major-league career. The Comerica Park crowd immediately stood and celebrated the achievement.
Fans gave him another ovation when A.J. Hinch removed him in the seventh.
“In the moment, I just want to live in the moment.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control over, so I try to stay present all the time.
“When the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it’s special. It will never not be special, and it’s something I’ve always appreciated.”
Skubal then delivered the comment that carried the most weight.
“Hopefully, they feel the same way. Hopefully, they feel like I’ve given everything I have to the team and to the city, because I truly have.
“Those moments are always special, and I’ll never forget them.”
Detroit fans do feel it.
They watched Skubal arrive as a ninth-round pick, struggle through the shortened 2020 season, undergo major surgery and develop into one of baseball’s most feared pitchers. His rise has been one of the organization’s best development stories in decades.
The ovation was about more than seven innings against Baltimore. It was appreciation for everything that came before it.
Skubal Refuses to Call It a Farewell
Skubal understands why every answer is being examined for clues.
The trade deadline is approaching. Contenders need pitching. Detroit’s recent slide has created uncertainty about whether the front office will keep its ace or accept a massive offer.
Asked directly about the possibility that he had just made his final start for Detroit, Skubal declined to speculate.
“I don’t really want to speculate, to be honest.
“I try to live where I am right now, and right now I’m a Detroit Tiger.
“I don’t really want to speculate on what’s happening or what the future holds because I don’t know.
“I understand the questions. I understand what could happen or what could change a week from now, but I don’t really like thinking that way.
“It’s a tough place to be.”
There was no dramatic declaration. No promise. No hidden trade request.
There was simply a player acknowledging how uncomfortable it is to stand between the only organization he has known and a future he cannot control.
A Special Milestone Brings Back Memories
Skubal’s 1,000th strikeout came immediately, giving the crowd a reason to celebrate before the trade discussion could consume the afternoon.
The milestone caught him emotionally.
“Some accomplishments just hit differently.
“For whatever reason, that one felt more special than every other one.
“The first time I struck out 200 batters in a season felt special to me, too. I don’t really know why.
“As I was getting closer, I just thought, ‘This is pretty cool.’
“Then you take in your career and get a little nostalgic in those moments when you think about your story.”
Skubal admitted the achievement once felt nearly impossible.
“I don’t know if I could have convinced myself at 19 years old that I would strike out 1,000 hitters in the big leagues.
“There are little things like that that are special.
“It might not mean a lot. The guy next to me has 3,500 of them, but they’re special to me nonetheless.”
The accomplishment belongs to Skubal, but it also belongs to the Tigers organization that allowed him to develop through failure.
“The organization never gave up on me.
“A.J. always had my back, and Fetter always had my back.
“That’s something I’ve appreciated.”
Skubal Reflects on His Detroit Journey
Wednesday’s outing ended before the Tigers completed a stunning collapse, losing 10-9 in 12 innings after leading 7-0.
Skubal called the loss painful, but his postgame comments repeatedly returned to the journey that brought him to this moment.
“It has been a hell of a ride.
“I wouldn’t change anything. I wouldn’t change one bit of it.
“My whole story and my whole life made me who I am, and I appreciate that.
“It is a little nostalgic. I don’t really like thinking that way, but hopefully there’s a lot more in the future, too.
“It’s cool nonetheless.”
That does not sound like a player announcing his departure.
It sounds like someone recognizing the emotion surrounding him while desperately trying not to get ahead of the next day.
Bottom Line
Tarik Skubal does not know whether Wednesday was his final start with the Detroit Tigers.
Neither do the fans who stood twice to honor him.
Skubal’s message to Detroit was heartfelt and direct. He hopes the city understands that he has given everything he has to the Tigers, because he believes he truly has.
There may be a trade. There may be another Skubal start at Comerica Park. The decision sits with the front office.
What cannot be debated is the connection Skubal has built with Detroit.
If Wednesday was goodbye, Tigers fans made sure he knew exactly what he has meant to them.
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