Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is well on his way to a second-straight AL Cy Young award, assuming he keeps up his current pace. Skubal leads all MLB pitchers in WAR at 4.5. He also leads either the AL or all of baseball in categories like ERA, ERA+, FIP, WHIP, K/9 and strikeout-to-walk ratio. The statistics speak for themselves, and there's little doubt Skubal should start the All-Star Game for the American League. That being said, Skubal could be robbed of that honor, as the AL is managed by Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees, who earned that right by winning the pennant last season.
Skubal pitches on Friday – or at least that is when he is lined up to start – which makes matters a little tougher for the Tigers. Should they allow Skubal to skip his start if it increases his chances of starting the midsummer classic, or does the right-hander feel comfortable throwing an inning or two on short rest?
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Will Tarik Skubal start the All-Star Game for the AL?
Whether Skubal will start is not up to him. When asked if he'd received an inclination about Boone's decision, Tigers manager AJ Hinch's answer was all too political.
"I talked to Booney, and he’s grinding through that decision. There’s two things in play. One is, Max Fried’s on his team. The second is, Fried going back to Atlanta where he enjoyed a ton of success," Hinch said.
As the Tigers skipper mentioned, Boone is choosing between the right choice in Skubal, and his own player in Fried who is having a tremendous season in his own right. Both will likely pitch at some point in the All-Star Game on Tuesday barring injury.
Why Max Fried could get the call instead of Tarik Skubal
Fried leads the league in wins and games starter, but Skubal isn't far behind in the former category. Skubal has been mentioned in MVP conversations, while Fried is often discussed as a player who could play spoiler down the line should Skubal stumble.
What makes the possibility of Fried starting all the more intriguing is that he is a former Brave. Atlanta let Fried walk this winter, and he signed a record (for a left-handed pitcher) eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees. He has been worth every penny for New York, especially since Gerrit Cole will be forced to miss the season due to injury.
As Hinch mentions, the added weight of Fried starting the All-Star Game back at his old stomping grounds is a tough narrative to turn down, and something that could cost Skubal what is rightly his.