Skubal, Tigers not sweating risk ahead of deadline: "I'm pitching tomorrow"

The Tigers absorb more risk each time Tarik Skubal takes the mound. With one mishap, the most valuable asset on the trade market could be worthless.

The trade deadline is less than a week away. Skubal is scheduled to make what could be his last start with the Tigers in Wednesday's series finale against the Orioles, one of five teams the Tigers are chasing for the final A.L. wild card spot.

Is it still the worth the risk for the organization to pitch him?

"We’re trying to win the series, so that puts us in a better position to be a playoff team," A.J. Hinch said Tuesday. "The information I have is, win the series. We gotta win tonight in order to put us in that position, so I’m fully expecting him to pitch."

An hour or so later, Skubal left no doubt: "I’m pitching tomorrow. I got something cool that I want to accomplish at home, so that won’t change."

Skubal is sitting at 999 career strikeouts as he prepares for Wednesday's start. He has been almost untouchable in his last two outings, allowing one run with 21 strikeouts and two walks. All the trade speculation hasn't seemed to bother him. Asked about blocking out the noise, Skubal said, "The noise is from you guys, not from me."

"The noise isn’t in this clubhouse, the noise is from the narratives out there. I don’t control any of that, so why would I worry about it?" Skubal said. "My job is to go out there and win, so that’s all I can ask myself to do. Just go out there and compete. I’ve done that my entire career."

Skubal received a standing ovation from the fans at Comerica Park at the end of his last start, and pounded his glove in approval as he strode toward the dugout. Both sides seem to know that he's nearing the end of his line in Detroit, with a massive payday awaiting him in free agency. The two-time defending Cy Young Award winner can expect a similar reception on Wednesday.

He can also expect the trade questions to continue, until he's either dealt or the Aug. 3 deadline passes. So it goes when everyone is anxiously awaiting a resolution. Skubal has been hoping that the Tigers will buy, but at this point, selling him looks like the right thing to do.

"I’ve appreciated every single start that I have at home, even on the road, the support that the fans have given me is second to none," he said. "But the questions follow you everywhere, especially me in my life. I have a family that’s also asking questions, but I don’t know, I truly don’t know what’s going on. Those questions aren’t really for me. Those questions should probably be directed to the front office, not me."

A few games ago, it looked like the Tigers were mounting a push to keep Skubal and possibly add at the deadline. Then they blew two leads against the Royals and lost their third straight Monday night against Baltimore.

It leaves the organization in a murky spot ahead of the deadline, four games and five teams back in the wild card race, six games and three teams back in the division.

"Listen, losing three games in a row is not the end of the world," said Skubal. "It might feel like that to you guys or to people on the outside looking in, but losing three games happens, it happens to everybody. We have an opportunity to win today’s game, and if we do that we have an opportunity to win a series tomorrow and that’s what really matters.

"There’s not going to be anybody in this room that gives up on anybody. That’s what I’ve come to appreciate."