It was revealed on Monday that arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Tarik Skubal, will make just one start in the upcoming WBC for Team USA before returning to the Detroit Tigers for spring training. While sure, it's very cool that a pitcher of Skubal's caliber is pitching in the WBC, the fact that he's only making one start for Team USA, and that outing being against a relatively weak Great Britain club of all teams, is frustrating.
I'd argue Skubal should've just skipped the WBC altogether if this was the route he was going to take.
How Tarik Skubal is screwing Team USA over
On the surface, Skubal's decision isn't the biggest deal. Team USA can, and presumably will, replace his spot on the roster after pool play with someone who can pitch in the quarterfinals and beyond. There are two issues I see, though.
First, Skubal's spot should've gone to someone committed to pitching for Team USA the entire time. There's something to be said about team camaraderie, and it's tougher to have that when the best pitcher is only sticking around for one start. Second, Skubal is facing arguably the weakest team that Team USA will encounter in pool play.
If the southpaw knew he only had one start, why is he pitching that game? Why couldn't they have planned for him to pitch a higher-stakes game against a tougher opponent, particularly with the tournament on the line? Skubal pitching in a game that Team USA would almost certainly win without him is a little annoying.
Why Tarik Skubal is choosing to limit WBC workload
As frustrating as it is that Skubal is going to be missing most of the WBC, I can understand why he's doing it. He's a free agent after the year, and is looking to get paid. He has roughly $400 million on the line if he can put together another Cy Young season. That's a lot to risk.
As fun as it must be to pitch in the WBC, ensuring that you're giving yourself the best chance to ramp up appropriately for the upcoming season and that you're able to stay healthy is more important in his eyes than pitching on this big stage.
In Skubal's mind, pitching against a team like Great Britain that wouldn't cause much stress and then continuing to ramp up in spring training is the best of both worlds. He gets a taste of what it's like to be on the same team as the likes of Paul Skenes, Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr., while also not overdoing it and preparing for the most important regular season of his life. Even the Tigers benefit, as Skubal, again, won't be overdoing it innings-wise or pressure-wise in games that, as fun as they are, do not count for the MLB season.
Tarik Skubal is a prime example of why pitchers don't commit to the WBC
What was so exciting about Skubal, in particular, pitching for Team USA in the WBC, was that he's an established superstar pitcher. We've seen many superstar hitters participate in this tournament often, but the same cannot be said for pitchers, particularly for Team USA. I mean, in 2023, Team USA's best starting pitchers included guys like a past-his-prime Clayton Kershaw and Merrill Kelly. Skubal and Paul Skenes leading the way is a whole new ballgame. Star players are what make the WBC fun to watch.
Pitchers are usually reluctant to participate in the WBC because of the extra toll it requires. Not only would you be throwing more innings in the WBC, but you'd have to get ready for the tournament, which requires more and earlier offseason work. Getting through the WBC, the regular season, and a potential postseason run is a lot in one year.
Not many pitchers are given the chance to pitch just one game in pool play and then leave. If they did, there'd likely be many more pitchers doing what Skubal is doing. Hopefully, the next time the WBC rolls around, Skubal has a massive contract locked in and is willing to participate fully. The hope is also that Skubal didn't just inspire other pitchers to do the same thing as he did. Team USA will obviously be better off with full participation from its pitchers.