Tarik Skubal, the world’s finest pitcher, continued to dominate Sunday afternoon when he threw a “Maddux” to help the Detroit Tigers defeat the Cleveland Guardians 5-0. For those who don’t know, a Maddux is a complete-game shutout with fewer than 100 pitches thrown. Hall of Famer Greg Maddux accomplished this feat 13 times during his career. Skubal struck out 13 hitters in 94 pitches to accomplish this achievement. According to Underdog MLB, the 13 strikeouts are the most in a Maddux. In addition to being Skubal’s first Maddux of the season, it was also the first time he had pitched a whole game.
Tarik Skubal Makes History, Throwing 13 K “Maddux” in Tigers Win
Keeps Bringing the Heat
According to Tigers PR, the strong lefty hit the hardest thrown ball in the Tigers’ Statcast era (2015–present) with a last pitch of 102.6 mph.
Since Pedro Martinez accomplished this accomplishment in 1999–2000, Skubal is attempting to become the first pitcher in the American League to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards. It is almost hard to vote for anybody but Skubal, even though Max Fried, the starter for the New York Yankees, has a strong case to win the honor. Skubal has a 2.49 ERA after 68 2/3 innings worked, including today’s start, with 92 strikeouts. With 92 strikeouts, he is just behind MacKenzie Gore, a southpaw for the Washington Nationals, who has 93. Skubal may have an advantage against Fried because he has the greatest strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors (13.14%).
Bring Me My Money
Skubal has pitched 63 2/3 innings with 90 strikeouts and just four walks, excluding his dismal opening start against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those figures seem like they belong in a video game and are completely ridiculous. Skubal has tossed 34 innings with 50 strikeouts and two walks in his five starts in May. Even though he is only earning $10.15 million from arbitration, these are staggering figures. I can only picture Skubal and his representative requesting that the Tigers waive his last arbitration year and give him the compensation he is due. Skubal may have a $250 million deal in the works at the age of 29. The Tigers cannot afford to lose him to another team that is prepared to give him the salary he will receive, and there is no reason to think that this supremacy won’t last for at least five more seasons.
