What felt like a foregone conclusion became official Wednesday: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is the unanimous 2024 American League Cy Young Award winner.
Skubal received all 30 first-place votes on his way to 210 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America as a result of a season in which he won a pitching triple crown by leading the AL in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228). He finished ahead of Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo (93 points) and Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase (66 points).
Skubal won the award the day of his 28th birthday.
“How special is that?” Skubal said. “To be able to celebrate a Cy Young Award and me turning 28 — I know age isn’t necessarily a good thing in this game, but this is a special night, no doubt.”
For 31 starts in his age-27 season, Skubal was the Tigers’ trusted workhorse. Detroit went 21-10 on days Skubal started in the regular season, helping fuel the Tigers’ surprise push into the playoffs. Skubal gives the Tigers their sixth Cy Young Award in the franchise’s storied history, joining Denny McLain (1968, 1969), Willie Hernandez (1984), Justin Verlander (2011) and Max Scherzer (2013).
“It’s an honor just to have my name be spoken in the same sentence as those guys,” Skubal said. “What those guys have been able to accomplish in their careers, that’s something I’m going to strive for.”
Before this past season, Skubal was a commodity overlooked beyond Detroit. A ninth-round MLB Draft pick in 2018 out of Seattle University, Skubal’s pro stock tumbled when he had Tommy John surgery his sophomore year in college. Skubal, nonetheless, quickly rose the ranks of Detroit’s farm system, only to suffer a flexor tendon injury that required surgery just as he found his footing in the big leagues. That 2022 injury kept Skubal out until July 2023. After his return, Skubal wasted no time in asserting himself as one of the game’s best.
Armed with a powerful fastball, a wipeout slider and a revamped changeup that became one of the nastiest in the sport, Skubal posted a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts last season. Named Detroit’s 2024 Opening Day starter, Skubal did not disappoint as he exploded onto the national scene.
His list of statistical accomplishments is long, but the way Skubal harnessed his command and became a monster in dominating the strike zone was perhaps his most impressive feat. His first-pitch strike rate of 68.7 percent was the best in the AL. His 47.5 percent of pitches in the zone also led the AL.
Skubal’s elite command, remarkable consistency and otherworldly stuff all contributed to a season now immortalized with a Cy Young Award.
Under the Tigers’ control for two more seasons, Skubal said he is more motivated than ever for himself and the Tigers to remain on MLB’s national stage.
“I don’t really like talking about myself too much,” Skubal said. “As much as this is an individual award, I think it’s very much a team effort from the people who are in my life, from the organization to the defense behind me, the catcher, the timely hitting. As much as I can make it about myself, I think it’s important to give credit to the people who are around me.”
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