There will be better days for Tarik Skubal. This is one he'd rather forget.
In his MLB debut Tuesday night against the White Sox, Skubal gave up a homer to the first batter he faced and was tagged for four runs on seven hits in two innings. He walked one and struck out one. He was pulled, by design, after 52 pitches.
Worth noting: this was Skubal's first time pitching in a live game this season. He was summoned to the majors Tuesday after spending the past month with the Tigers' taxi squad in Toledo. He also missed most of summer camp due to COVID-19.
Skubal, one of the top left-handed prospects in baseball and the Tigers' fifth-ranked prospect overall, featured mostly a four-seam fastball and a slider, mixing in a changeup and a curve. He threw his heater in the 94-96 mph range, occasionally cranking it up to 97. There's no doubt he has the stuff to excel at the major league level.
But the White Sox ambushed him from the jump.
Tim Anderson, who kills every Tigers pitcher, took Skubal deep on his third pitch of the game. Yoan Moncada and Jose Abreu followed with successive singles. Welcome to the big leagues, kid.
With his back to the ropes, Skubal toughened up by getting Eloy Jimenez to ground into a double play. He escaped the inning without further damage.
The White Sox were back after him in the second. After a lineout by Luis Robert, Skubal gave up back-to-back singles to Nomar Mazara and Danny Mendick, then a double to -- who else -- Anderson. Moncada drove in another run with a sac fly, then Abreu dropped in an RBI single.
The bright side: Skubal ended his outing by striking out Jimenez. He got five swings and misses on the night.
Skubal's next scheduled start comes Sunday against the Indians.
Fellow top prospect Casey Mize will take the mound Wednesday against the White Sox.