As Selected by the Detroit Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America
DETROIT – Following one of the best seasons by a pitcher in franchise history, LHPTarik Skubal has been unanimously named Tiger of the Year as voted by members of the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Skubal, the club’s ninth round selection in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Seattle University, showcased dominant stuff and results throughout his fourth full Major League season. He led the American League in wins (18), ERA (2.39), FIP (2.51), OPS against (.558), strikeouts (228), and strikeout rate (30.3%), while ranking tied for third in walk rate (4.6%), and tied for fifth in home run rate (2.0%).
The southpaw’s 18 wins were the most by a Tigers pitcher since Max Scherzer also won 18 games in 2014, and 2.39 ERA was the second lowest in the franchise’s last 50 seasons behind only Mark Fidrych’s 2.34 in 1976. According to Fangraphs, Skubal joined Justin Verlander (2009, 2010) as the only Detroit pitchers since 1971 to accumulate at least 5.9 fWAR in an age 27-or-younger season.
Skubal’s stellar 2024 campaign earned him the Pitching Triple Crown in the American League, becoming the first player to do so since Shane Bieber in 2020 and first to win it in a full season since Justin Verlander in 2011. Other than Skubal and Verlander, the only other Detroit pitcher to win the AL Pitching Triple Crown was Hal Newhouser in 1945.
The Detroit chapter of the BBWAA has selected a Tiger of the Year each season dating back to 1965. This is the 15th time that a pitcher has been earned the honor, with Skubal being the most recent since Matthew Boyd in 2019.
