Tarik Skubal is an American professional baseball pitcher, currently serving as the ace of the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on November 20, 1996, in Hayward, California, Skubal was raised in Kingman, Arizona. He played college baseball at Seattle University, where he set multiple school records including lowest opponent batting average and most strikeouts per nine innings. He was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft and made his major league debut on August 18, 2020[2][3][4][6]. Skubal’s career breakthrough came in the 2024 season, when he achieved the pitching Triple Crown by leading the American League (AL) in wins (18), earned run average (ERA) (2.39), and strikeouts (238). This outstanding performance earned him the AL Cy Young Award unanimously, with all 30 first-place votes, recognizing him as the best pitcher in the league. His 6.4 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) was also the highest in MLB that year. He was also named to the All-MLB First Team and won several monthly and weekly awards during the season[1][2][4][5]. In 2025, Skubal has continued to excel, improving his statistics with a 5-2 record, 2.16 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and 3.1 WAR by midseason, positioning himself among the top pitchers in baseball and earning All-Star selections in both 2024 and 2025[1][4][5]. Known for his strong left-handed pitching and resilience overcoming early career injuries—including Tommy John surgery during college—Skubal has established himself as a dominant force in MLB, playing a key role in the Detroit Tigers’ competitive status[2][3][4].