Tarik Skubal

Active

Detroit Tigers · Pitcher

Age 296' 3" · 240 lbsThrows Left

FBaseball Overview

This back-to-back Cy Young Award winner and two-time All-MLB selection remains an elite fantasy starter despite an uncharacteristically slow 2026 start, with early season metrics showing a 3.32 ERA and 0.99 WHIP through limited innings. His 2025 campaign of 13 wins, 241 strikeouts, and a 2.21 ERA established him as one of baseball's most dominant pitchers, and the underlying skill that earned consecutive Cy Young honors suggests the current-year struggles are likely a early-season variance rather than a permanent decline. Fantasy managers should view his current price as a buying opportunity, as his strikeout upside (241 K's last season demonstrates his ceiling) and ability to produce sub-3.00 ERAs make him a cornerstone option once he finds his rhythm. The main risk remains durability—his innings pitched have fluctuated between campaigns—but his proven track record over the past two seasons makes him one of the safest bets for a bounce-back second half in 2026.

MLB Pitching

Year	Team	G	GS	W	L	ERA	WHIP	K	IP	BB
2020	Detroit Tigers	8	7	1	4	5.63	1.22	37	32.0	11
2021	Detroit Tigers	31	29	8	12	4.34	1.26	164	149.1	47
2022	Detroit Tigers	21	21	7	8	3.52	1.16	117	117.2	32
2023	Detroit Tigers	15	15	7	3	2.80	0.90	102	80.1	14
2024	Detroit Tigers	31	31	18	4	2.39	0.92	228	192.0	35
2025	Detroit Tigers	31	31	13	6	2.21	0.89	241	195.1	33
2026	Detroit Tigers	11	11	4	4	3.15	0.91	75	65.2	8
Career	Totals	148	145	58	41	3.08	1.02	964	832.1	180

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Minor League Pitching

Year	Team	G	GS	W	L	SV	ERA	WHIP	K	IP	BB
2018	3 teams▼	9	1	3	0	2	0.40	0.85	33	22.1	4
2019	2 teams▼	24	24	6	8	0	2.42	1.01	179	122.2	37
2023	2 teams▼	5	5	0	0	0	1.23	0.82	20	14.2	3
2026	West Michigan Whitecaps	1	1	1	0	0	0.00	0.40	6	5.0	0
Career	Totals	39	31	10	8	2	1.97	0.95	238	164.2	44

Source: MLB Stats API · Multi-team seasons show combined totals — click to expand

Game Log2026 season

Loading game log…

Pitching Analytics2026 season · via Baseball Savant

Click for year to year changes

FB Velo96.8 mph

Avg Spin2170 rpm

Whiff %29.9%

K %29.5%

BB %3.1%

Hard Hit %39.3%

Barrel %7.7%

xERA3.26

xBA Against0.244

xSLG Against0.369

BA Against0.216

SLG Against0.382

GB%48.2%

FB%23.8%

What These Stats Mean

FB Velo — Average fastball velocity. Harder throwers generate more swings and misses, setting up every other pitch in their arsenal. Velocity is the foundation of strikeout upside.

Avg Spin — Average spin rate across all pitches. Higher spin creates more movement and makes pitches harder to square up — elite spinners run better strikeout and batting average against numbers.

Whiff % — Swings-and-misses per swing. The most direct measure of a pitcher's ability to miss bats and the best leading indicator of strikeout rate.

K % — Strikeout rate per batter faced. The core fantasy pitching stat — high K% means reliable strikeout totals that hold up even in shorter starts.

BB % — Walk rate per batter faced. The primary control metric. High BB% tanks ERA and WHIP and keeps baserunners on constantly. Elite starters typically run below 7%.

Hard Hit % — Percentage of batted balls hit 95 mph or harder against. Low hard-hit% means weak contact, protecting both ERA and the defense behind the pitcher.

Barrel % — Percentage of batted balls barreled against. The most direct home run predictor — low barrel% pitchers rarely give up long balls.

xERA — Expected ERA based on contact quality allowed, removing the effect of sequencing, luck, and defense. Better predictor of future ERA than ERA itself.

xBA Against — Expected batting average opponents should hit based on contact quality. A gap between xBA and actual BA indicates unsustainable luck in either direction.

xSLG Against — Expected slugging allowed based on contact quality. High xSLG against predicts future extra-base damage; low xSLG means the pitcher is genuinely suppressing power.

BA Against — Actual batting average opponents are hitting — a key WHIP component. Check xBA to see if the number is sustainable.

SLG Against — Actual slugging allowed. Captures hits, doubles, triples, and home runs — lower means the pitcher is limiting the power damage he gives up.

GB% — Ground ball rate. High GB% pitchers generate double plays, limit home runs, and keep the ball in the park — great for protecting ERA and WHIP ratios.

FB% — Fly ball rate. High FB% pitchers give up more air contact — dangerous when combined with high exit velocity, less so when contact is soft.

Loading player data...

Year

Team

ERA

WHIP

2020

Detroit Tigers

5.63

1.22

32.0

2021

Detroit Tigers

4.34

1.26

164

149.1

2022

Detroit Tigers

3.52

1.16

117

117.2

2023

Detroit Tigers

2.80

0.90

102

80.1

2024

Detroit Tigers

2.39

0.92

228

192.0

2025

Detroit Tigers

2.21

0.89

241

195.1

2026

Detroit Tigers

3.15

0.91

65.2

Career

Totals

148

145

3.08

1.02

964

832.1

180

Year

Team

ERA

WHIP

2018

3 teams▼

0.40

0.85

22.1

2019

2 teams▼

2.42

1.01

179

122.2

2023

2 teams▼

1.23

0.82

14.2

2026

West Michigan Whitecaps

0.00

0.40

5.0

Career

Totals

1.97

0.95

238

164.2