IN THE SIXTH inning of Game 2 of the American League Division Series, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal threw the biggest throw of his career. It was a 97 mph fastball in the zone, a pitch that prompted Cleveland Guardians hitter David Fry to bounce into an inning-ending double play and preserve a scoreless tie.

Shortly thereafter came the signature moment of his postseason dominance: As he walked off the mound, the game broadcast showed Skubal shouting some nice words to the Progressive Field crowd that was booing him.

“I probably shouldn’t say bad words with cameras pointed at me with kids watching,” Skubal said after the start. “But it was just emotion, raw emotion.”

The display of emotion made the rounds on social media, with Skubal’s own mother, Laura, scolding her son in response to one of the most popular posts – an irony Skubal noted on Friday.

Tarik Daniel!!

— Laura Skubal (@lskubal) October 7, 2024

“It’s interesting that my mom took to Twitter to say that,” he said. ‘You should hear my mother. I’ve seen her get ejected from many high school basketball games.

“I think it runs in the family there.”

That kind of competitive fire is the reason there isn’t a pitcher on the planet the Tigers would rather hand their season to in Saturday’s winner-take-all Game 5 in Cleveland. The best pitcher in the AL this year is now tasked with extending Detroit’s improbable postseason run.

“No moment is too big,” Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson said. “There’s so much belief behind every throw. So much fun to play behind. He’s special and he’s just getting started.”

THE TIGERS CAN I haven’t had the luxury of turning to the American League Cy Young favorite in an elimination game, if not for one unexpected draft-day phone call in 2018.

After Detroit selected Casey Mize No. 1 overall, Tigers general manager David Chadd received a call from an agent friend midway through the second round.

“Your best player isn’t even on your board,” the voice said.

The call was from Scott Boras, who had an early idea of ​​what Skubal could become; former client Bill Caudill had recommended checking him out.

“My god, this man has arm strength you wouldn’t believe,” Boras told his colleagues after seeing Skubal for the first time.

Skubal was not a household name in the scouting world; he had undergone Tommy John surgery the previous year and was playing college baseball at Seattle University. His junior year numbers were more good than excellent, especially considering the mid-major competition he faced: He had a 4.16 ERA, giving up 66 hits in 80 innings to go along with 106 strikeouts.

“He was coming off an injury, so I don’t think the industry has looked at Tarik much,” said Chadd, who now works for the Philadelphia Phillies. “We had a minimal look at Tarik.”

Chadd and then-Tigers scouting director Scott Pleis had doubts but were convinced enough to make Skubal a ninth-round draft pick. They paid him a $350,000 signing bonus – more than double the closing value – to keep him from returning to college for his senior year.

Those doubts were put to rest as soon as Detroit’s buyers got their hands on him. They quickly realized they had something special.

“I think we knew what we had right away when he first stepped on the mound,” Chadd said. “We were surprised by the power at that moment.”

Skubal pitched well enough in his pro debut that summer to be promoted from rookie ball, first to Low-A Connecticut and then to Single-A West Michigan. From then on, he was seen in the organization at the same level as Mize and Matt Manning in the first round. Two years later, he joined two more heralded pitchers on Kiley McDaniel’s 2020 list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players.

Still, Skubal made his MLB debut in August 2020 with little fanfare. He went 1-4 with a 5.63 ERA over eight games in the pandemic-shortened season, but showed improvement the following year, making 29 starts with a 4.34 ERA in 2021. He took another big step in 2022, posting a ERA of 3.51. But another elbow injury sidelined him in the 21st start of his 2022 campaign. He underwent flexor tendon surgery in August and opted for a second Tommy John, allowing him to return in July 2023. Since then, he has been one of the best throwers in the sport.

“He deserves credit for adopting the mentality during rehab of ‘I’m going to come back better than before I got hurt,’” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “He’s made some mechanical changes and developed his changeup while rehabbing. … He’s an intense competitor. And his stuff plays in the zone which allows him to pitch efficiently.”

Thanks to the unexpected October run in Detroit, a national audience is now seeing what those who have seen and seen Skubal for more than a year.

Skubal is only the fifth pitcher to begin a postseason career with multiple scoreless starts of at least six innings. In his first postseason appearance, he stymied the Houston Astros in Game 1 of their wild-card series, showing off things that made baseball buzz. He did the same in Game 2 of this series, shutting out the Guardians over seven innings.

At home, Oakland Athletics slugger Brent Rooker, who has 15 plate appearances against Skubal, the second most of any pitcher in his career, took to social media to express his admiration.

Tarik does a thing where he pitches to you at 94-95 and then gets 2 strikes or a big spot in the game and suddenly bumps it up to 99-100. Very nice as a hitter.

— Brent Rooker (@Brent_Rooker12) October 7, 2024

“What makes it elite is the way he maintains his arm speed on his changeup,” Rooker told ESPN in a phone call after Game 2. “There’s nothing in the delivery that tells you it’s coming. Nothing. And it has a good fade to his arm side that plays well with his fastball. Combine that with his throwability and he is at the top of his game.”

That ability to control his pitches has only gotten better since he returned last season. Previously, Skubal relied on his four-seam fastball, but this year he has used his changeup and slider more often. And even though he doesn’t turn on his heat as often, those off-speed pitches are coming in faster. In ALDS Game 2, his changeup even averaged 130.8 km/h, with a top speed of 90.4. The competition average for transitions is 130 km/h.

“It’s up to you,” Rooker said. “He’s fiery and competitive. It’s always a fun battle.”

Thanks to his skills and competitive spirit, Skubal led the Majors in wins, ERA and strikeouts – and became the runaway favorite to collect his first Cy Young award next month.

“That’s one of the reasons I asked him to sign a ball during the season,” Rooker said. “I like to do things like that with great players.”

No one has a better place for Skubal’s dominant performance than his Tigers teammates, who appreciated watching a fellow homegrown player develop into greatness. They are as surprised as everyone else.

“I want to ask him, ‘How does it feel to walk onto the mound knowing you’re the best pitcher in the world?’” reliever Beau Brieske said recently. “I’d like to know what that feels like, to be honest.”

And on Saturday, with a chance to lead Detroit to an American League Championship Series showdown with the New York Yankees, Skubal will walk to the Progressive Field mound hoping to wow them again.

“He’s got it all,” catcher Austin Hedges said. “He’s a unit on the mound. He’s got crazy deception. He throws 100. He’s got two different fastballs. He’s got a wipeout off-speed. He’s the ultimate competitor.

“He’s every team’s dream to have as their top guy. That guy is as good as it gets in our league.”