We had to wait last year for Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. We won't be waiting this year.
Not at this rate, not with the way Skubal and Mize are mowing down hitters in March. Skubal took another leap toward Detroit on Thursday when he fired three scoreless innings with four strikeouts against the Blue Jays.
Just for good measure, he got each strikeout with a different pitch: fastball, slider, curveball and his newfound split-change.
"He's got some weapons to use and he's using them," said A.J. Hinch. "I like how he backed them off the plate a couple times, he landed a late-in-the-count breaking ball for a called third strike, he threw some swing-and-miss stuff, he kept contact to the middle part of the field. I thought he was very good, very efficient."
Were it not for an error behind him, Skubal would have recorded nine outs on 45 pitches against a lineup full of big-league bats. He only threw 50 as it was. His fastball velocity sat comfortably in the 94-96 range and his split-change looked nothing like a pitch he learned a few months ago.
"The best part about it is that he's got no fear throwing it," said Hinch. "From the first outing on he's been committed to using it. I know he's worked on it a ton as he's learned it. If he's able to throw it for a strike and throw it for a ball, that's a very effective pitch. You don't see that a ton from left-handed pitchers, traditionally a more right-handed weapon, so that'll create some uniqueness for him."
This is the spring for Skubal and Mize to break camp with the Tigers. They both know it, and they're both pitching like it. They've combined to fire 9 scoreless innings with two hits and 10 strikeouts. Skubal's command has been especially impressive. He took his lumps in the majors last season, as expected. Now, to Hinch's eye, "he's ready."
"Mentally and physically, at least what he's shown so far," said Hinch. "There's still some development to be done, but every step of the way he's been able to adapt to the next level. Now the next level to adapt to is the big leagues. He entered this camp with the perfect demeanor and the perfect approach and the focus of trying to win a job, and he's certainly on his way to doing that."
