Things appeared to be well in order for the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park, as they built up a comfortable 7-0 lead over the visiting Baltimore Orioles.
However, the game ended in disaster for the Tigers, who fell behind 9-7; they eventually knotted the score, only to watch Baltimore escape with a 10-9 win in 12 innings of play.
Additionally, the major storyline of the game was the potential of ace pitcher Tarik Skubal potentially making his final start on the mound as a member of the Tigers before the August 3 MLB Trade Deadline.
During the game, Skubal did pick up the 1,000th strikeout of his career, but afterward, the focus naturally turned to his future with the club with the Trade Deadline on the horizon.
Detroit Tigers Pitcher Tarik Skubal Praises The Fans After Potential Final Start
After the game, Skubal was naturally asked about his name being heavily embroiled in trade rumors, and while he once again reiterated that it’s out of his control, he gave a shoutout to the fans who gave him multiple standing ovations during what may have been his final appearance wearing the Old English D in front of them at Comerica Park.
“There’s a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control (over)” he said afterward. “I try to be pretty present all the time. When the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it’s special. It’ll never not be special, and it’s something I’ve always appreciated. Hopefully they feel the same way. Hopefully they feel like I’ve given everything to the team, the city, because I truly have.”
He continued:
“I don’t even want to speculate, to be honest,” Skubal said. “I try to live where I’m at right now. Right now, I’m a Detroit Tiger. I don’t really want to speculate a ton on what’s happening or what the future holds, because I don’t know. … I don’t really like thinking like that. It’s a tough place to be.”
“We’re up 7-0 at one point in that game,” Skubal said. “We end up losing. I don’t even know the final score. … That one hurts.”
So far this season, Skubal has amassed a 7-5 record with a 2.79 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and 116 strikeouts.
A.J. Hinch Said The Plan Was Always To Start Skubal On Wednesday
Meanwhile, manager A.J. Hinch said that there was never any discussion on not giving Skubal the start on Wednesday.
“Pitching Tarik today was never up in the air, unless it was external,” Hinch said. “We’ve continued to talk about winning series, winning weeks, winning months. It’s how I talk. It’s how Scott (Harris) and Jeff (Greenberg) talk about our team.”
Even Hinch sounded like he was getting a bit worn down by all of the trade talk surrounding Skubal.
“I just can’t think in hypotheticals,” Hinch said, also asked about Skubal’s future. “I really can’t. I’ll have a ton to say when and if and where and whenever, but I think it’s a waste of my time to talk in hypotheticals. It’s not what I’m about.”
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Tarik Skubal Doesn’t Hold Back On Tigers Fans After Potential Final Start appeared first on HEAVY.