If betting odds are any indication, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was well on his way to a second straight AL Cy Young Award. Sportsbooks believe a clear gap exists between him and the other deserving candidates. That was the case entering play on Aug. 19, and the results across the American League on Tuesday validate the conviction.
Skubal propelled the Tigers to a 1-0, extra-inning victory over the Houston Astros in a pitchers' duel between himself and fellow Cy Young contender Hunter Brown. Both twirlers went at least six scoreless innings, but Skubal was far more efficient and overpowering overall, and Detroit and its superstar southpaw came out on top, literally and figuratively. Moreover, Minnesota Twins All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan's dark-horse hopes were shattered following a tough performance against the Athletics.
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Tarik Skubal outdueling Hunter Brown, Joe Ryan dud secure second straight Cy Young for Tigers ace
Brown and Ryan were hanging around in what oddsmakers effectively view as a two-horse race between Skubal and the Boston Red Sox's Garrett Crochet. Detroit's top-of-the-rotation weapon held up his end of the bargain versus Houston's. Meanwhile, the Twins' frontline arm effectively bowed out of the competition, just like his team did at the trade deadline (sorry, Minnesota fans).
Ryan allowed six hits and five runs (two earned) across four frames in Minnesota's 6-3 loss to the Athletics. He didn't have his best stuff, which was apparent, considering it took 87 pitches to get through the short outing. Every appearance counts when facing a steep climb to surpass Skubal, with this being a massive setback.
Crochet didn't take the mound in Boston's 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles. The hard-throwing lefty is the biggest threat to dethrone Skubal, especially as the Red Sox continue surging. Nevertheless, he's already soared past his single-season career high in innings, which bears watching down the stretch as the team eyes October.
The stars are aligning for Skubal to etch his name in MLB record books and join elite company. Only 22 hurlers have earned Cy Young honors twice, and only 11 did so in consecutive campaigns. He's already among the 21 Triple Crown winners we've ever seen. Now, the 28-year-old is on the verge of another unprecedented feat that a small number of players in baseball's extensive, rich history have accomplished.