UPDATE: Tarik Skubal has just clinched his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award, solidifying his status as one of baseball’s elite pitchers. The announcement came on Wednesday, October 25, 2025, as the Baseball Writers Association of America confirmed his victory over fellow contenders Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox and Hunter Brown of the Houston Astros.
This remarkable achievement makes Skubal 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 stellar 2025 season saw him finish with a record of 13-6, an impressive 2.21 ERA, and a staggering 241 strikeouts over 195.1 innings.
Skubal led the AL in both Baseball-Reference WAR (6.5) and FanGraphs WAR (6.6), while also topping the charts in ERA, strikeout rate at 32.2%, lowest walk rate at 4.4%, and allowed on-base percentage of .240 and OPS of .559. His fastball averaged nearly 98 mph, and his lethal changeup held batters to a mere .154 average, contributing significantly to his 110 strikeouts.
In a remarkable display of dominance, Skubal recorded double-digit strikeouts in 10 outings this season. Notably, he delivered the most dominant performance in the league on May 25, 2025, with a two-hit shutout against the Cleveland Guardians, striking out 13 batters on just 94 pitches. His game score of 96 was the highest in the American League for the year.
Reflecting on his journey, Skubal expressed gratitude towards the Tigers organization for refining his pitching skills, especially his changeup. “I think a lot of it came after I got hurt and rehabbed in ’23,” he told MLB Network. “There’s kind of a little bit of a blessing in disguise in getting hurt in that aspect.”
Despite his individual success, Skubal’s postseason experience has been bittersweet. For the second consecutive year, he started Game 5 of the American League Division Series, only to see the Tigers fall short against the Seattle Mariners. In that game, he allowed just one run over six innings while striking out 13 batters, leaving with a 2-1 lead before the Mariners ultimately won 3-2 in 15 innings.
Looking ahead, Skubal faces a critical year as he approaches free agency. With his agent Scott Boras at the helm, the likelihood of a contract extension before free agency is slim, leading to potential trade discussions this offseason. Skubal stands as one of five pitchers in Tigers history to earn the Cy Young Award, joining legends like Denny McLain, Willie Hernandez, Justin Verlander, and Max Scherzer.
As the baseball world reacts to this historic achievement, fans and analysts alike are eager to see what the future holds for Tarik Skubal—a pitcher who has proven that determination and skill can lead to greatness, regardless of one’s beginnings.
