Tigers’ Tarik Skubal is ‘over WBC stuff,’ ready for Opening Day

The Detroit Tigers enter a pivotal stretch as Tarik Skubal sets the tone for Opening Day, and the message from the ace is clear ahead of. He is locked in. He is done looking back. And he is ready to lead.

According to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen, Skubal did not hide his mindset after his final spring outing.

“The WBC stuff, it’s over,” he said. “I’m ready to play baseball for the Detroit Tigers and try to win a World Series this year.”

The words hit with purpose. They feel like a reset. Not just for him, but for a Tigers team chasing something bigger this season.

Tarik Skubal’s resume already demands attention. He is a back-to-back American League Cy Young winner in 2024 and 2025. Last season alone, he posted a 2.21 ERA across 195.1 innings with 241 strikeouts. Dominant. Efficient. Relentless. Now, he steps into a new year with even more weight on his shoulders. A $32 million arbitration win places him among the highest-paid pitchers in the game. Expectations rise with that number. So does responsibility.

Tigers looking to finish what they started

The Tigers know how last season ended. At first, it started with promise. However, it ended with frustration. A post–All-Star break collapse ultimately cost them the AL Central to the Guardians. Still, they fought back. As a result, they won the Wild Card in a gritty three-game set. Then, however, came the ALDS exit against the Mariners in five games. Close. Painfully close.

Because of that, the memory lingers. More importantly, it fuels this Tigers group now.

Meanwhile, Skubal stands at the center of it all. His presence is not just about stats. Instead, it is about tone. About belief. About what happens when the ace sets the standard under the lights.

Now, the stage is set. The crowd will be loud.

And with Tarik Skubal leading the charge, one question now echoes louder than ever, can the Tigers deliver when it matters most on Opening Day?

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