RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 4 sourcesTarik Skubal only needed to face one hitter to accomplish the personal feat he wanted on Wednesday, July 29.
The Detroit Tigers left-handed ace came into the series finale sitting at 999 career strikeouts. In the first at-bat of the game, he got Orioles left fielder Taylor Ward to chase his signature changeup below the zone for his 1,000th career punchout.
The Comerica Park crowd rose to its feet to give the ace a standing ovation. After the Tigers infield went around the horn with the ball after the strikeout, Skubal took off his cap and waved to the crowd in appreciation while the scoreboard flashed his accomplishment.
Skubal became the 17th pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 strikeouts and just the fourth lefty to do so. He was the fastest to do it by nearly 100 innings, taking 857 frames to accomplish it compared to 944⅔ innings for Max Scherzer.
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1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ FOR TARIK SKUBAL 👏 pic.twitter.com/M5mA5FIT2p
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 29, 2026
Despite external speculation about Skubal skipping the start as his name swirls in trade rumors ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline, he was determined to make the start to continue helping Detroit (51-57) try to climb out of a hole.
"I am pitching [Wednesday]," Skubal said on Tuesday. "I got something cool that I want to accomplish at home, so that won't change."
According to the Tigers, Skubal entered Wednesday's start as the franchise's all-time leader in strikeouts per nine innings (10.5), hits allowed per inning (1.01) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.4).
With the Tigers' goals remaining to win as many games and series as possible as they try for a third straight playoff berth, there was no question in the front office or coaching staff that Skubal, the reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner, would be on the bump on Wednesday.
"We want to win," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said pregame. "That has gone unchanged. I think when conversations around your team are about taking guys off your team, there's this notion that, all of a sudden, the attention is shifted away from winning.
"That is all external. What I have been tasked with and the way the front office has talked to me is about winning series. We are very aligned in what's important – to win day to day."
Contact Jared Ramsey at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tarik Skubal hits 1,000 career strikeouts in front of home crowd
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