Detroit Tigers: Tarik Skubal will pan out in the long haul after settling in

While the Detroit Tigers did not get the start they may have hoped for out of Tarik Skubal, and the long haul will bring about better results.

After the Detroit Tigers announced that Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal would be coming up to make their major league debuts, things have been exciting for the fanbase. However, when Skubal took to the mound, things were not looking to be that favorable for the left-hander.

His greeting to the big leagues was a home run when Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson christened his first start with a leadoff solo shot. While Anderson continues his success against the Tigers, the hope was that Skubal would get the nerves out and get to work, executing pitches.

Things would not end great for him, but he did come out of the first inning appearing as if some first-start jitters go to him. However, the second inning led to some more chaos and ultimately caused Skubal’s first start to get cut short after just two innings.’

More from Detroit Tigers

• Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
• Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
• 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings
• Javier Baez Listed Among Worst Contracts in MLB by The Athletic
• Tigers’ Interest in Kenta Maeda Could be a Disaster for 2024 and Beyond

Over his two innings of work, Skubal threw 52 total pitches with 33 being strikes, allowing seven hits, giving up four runs (all earned), walking one, and striking out another.

In his two innings, Skubal faced thirteen White Sox hitters, allowing just the one home run to Anderson to kick things off.

In his first start, Skubal brought the fastball that sat in the mid-90s, running it up to 97 at one point.

But he seemed to be a bit predictable on the mound leaving his breaking balls a little high in the zone. Pitches that induce swings and misses in the minors, but not against the big leaguers.

Seasoned veterans like Jose Abreu and Tim Anderson are not going to leave those pitches alone; they’re going to capitalize on opportunities to put balls in play. However, it was Skubal’s first start; there had to have been some butterflies for the former ninth-round pick.

One start is not going to define Skubal’s future in the big leagues. It would have been nice to see him carve for three to four innings for the Tigers, but a two-start dud outing is fine. The hype that surrounded the call-up of Skubal has been massive, even with no fans in the stands there was pressure.

The butterflies of a first start very well could have gotten to him, but he should have opportunities to bounce back. Having to make your debut the day before Casey Mize makes his first start has to be in Skubal’s head, even minimally.

The 2020 season is not all that important for Skubal. This year is about him getting his feet wet, experiencing the big leagues and trying to show that he should stick around the Tigers roster. Fans should view the first start as Skubal working out the jitters and the anxiety that come with a big-league debut.

The hope for Tarik Skubal would be that his time in a Detroit Tigers big league uniform should only trend upwards from here as he finds his footing and emerges as one of the future staples of the rotation.