Skubal Wins Second AL Cy Young; Historic Season Highlights

UPDATE: Tarik Skubal has just been awarded his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award, solidifying his place among baseball’s elite. The Detroit Tigers ace triumphed over Boston Red Sox’s Garrett Crochet and Houston Astros’ Hunter Brown in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America, confirming his dominance in the league.

In a stunning performance throughout the 2025 MLB season, Skubal posted a remarkable 13-6 record with a stellar 2.21 ERA and an eye-popping 241 strikeouts in just 195.1 innings. This achievement marks him as the first pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19 and the first AL pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000.

Skubal’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary. He led the AL in both Baseball-Reference WAR (6.5) and FanGraphs WAR (6.6), while also ranking first among qualified pitchers in several categories: ERA, strikeout rate (32.2%), lowest walk rate (4.4%), opponent batting average allowed (.240), and OPS allowed (.559). His blazing fastball, averaging nearly 98 mph, and a devastating changeup limited opponents to a mere .154 batting average, accounting for 110 of his strikeouts.

Skubal’s journey to success has not been without challenges. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in college and facing early career injuries, he attributed his recent success to an intensive rehabilitation process that allowed him to refine his skills. “I think a lot of it came after I got hurt and rehabbed in ’23,” Skubal told MLB Network. “There’s kind of a little bit of a blessing in disguise in getting hurt in that aspect.”

His highlights of the season included ten games with double-digit strikeouts and a standout two-hit shutout against the Cleveland Guardians on May 25, where he struck out 13 batters and achieved a game score of 96, the highest in the AL for 2025.

However, the season ended in disappointment as the Tigers faced elimination in the American League Division Series for the second consecutive year. Skubal pitched valiantly, allowing only one run in six innings against the Seattle Mariners, but the team ultimately lost in a dramatic 15-inning game.

Looking ahead, Skubal’s future with the Tigers is uncertain. He has one year remaining before reaching free agency, and with his agent being Scott Boras, who is known for rarely securing extensions close to free agency, trade possibilities may arise if an extension cannot be reached.

As one of five Tigers pitchers to earn the Cy Young Award, joining legends like Denny McLain and Justin Verlander, Skubal’s legacy is cemented, but his next steps will be closely monitored by fans and analysts alike. The baseball world is watching—what will happen next for this exceptional talent? Stay tuned for updates on Skubal’s career trajectory and the Tigers’ offseason plans.