He didn't want this day to come, even if he knew that it would. Tarik Skubal hoped to spend the rest of this season in Detroit chasing a World Series.
But that was an exceedingly dicey proposition for the Tigers once it became clear that the two sides were headed for divorce this winter. It was trade him now, or lose the best pitcher in baseball for nothing but a compensatory draft pick.
And with the Tigers five games under .500 despite playing well for the last months, the decision was simple for Scott Harris. They had to deal him, even if they knew it would hurt.
The pain here is shared, by the organization, the fans, and Skubal himself. It was evident in Skubal's watery eyes and shaky voice when he spoke with reporters late Saturday night after the trade went public.
Skubal thought back to losing in Cleveland in Game 5 of the ALDS in 2024 when he allowed a grand slam to Lane Thomas, and how he "used that failure as fuel." He won his second straight Cy Young award the following year, only for the Tigers to reach the same ending with Skubal on the mound.
"That failure sparked more motivation to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be," he said. "The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me," Skubal said. "It’s tough, I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends."
He paused for a few seconds, fighting back tears.
"Yeah," he added, "it will be tough, for sure."
Skubal was then asked about the opportunity to chase history this season with the Dodgers, who are trying to become the fifth team ever to win three straight World Series titles. He was still choked up thinking about his time with the Tigers, who drafted him in 2018, "giving a kid a chance out of a small school," said the Seattle University product, "and giving me every resource to use."
"Yeah -- sorry," Skubal said, taking several more seconds to gather his emotions. "Yeah, it’s exciting. They got a good group. You hear everything across the way."
He wiped his eyes and reiterated, "I’m excited, though."
The emotions could hit Skubal all over again later this month. The Dodgers come to Detroit for three games at the end of August, with a chance that Skubal will take the Comerica Park mound as a visitor. The reception he receives will be telling, in that it will likely be mixed.
Skubal was revered here. He drew the biggest cheers of any Tiger for the last few seasons. He was the face of the franchise, his name synonymous with the team's long-awaited return to contention. The love Skubal felt from the fans, the "support for me and my family, everywhere I go, I’ve always truly appreciated that," he said. "And it means a lot more than they probably get credit for."
Skubal turns 30 this offseason, with three arm surgeries in his wake. He credits the Tigers for sticking with him through his early-career struggles. He'll be the first to tell you that he was shelled as a rookie and that he allowed more homers than almost any pitcher in the majors in year two.
"This club never stopped believing in me, kept rolling me back out there every fifth day even when I probably didn’t deserve to be," he said.
And Skubal, to his credit, never stopped believing in the Tigers, at least outwardly. He lobbied for the front office to buy at the deadline. He wanted to see this roster that was built with World Series ambitions reach its potential. Just a year ago, Skubal was pondering his long-term future in baseball and the possibility of only ever pitching for Detroit.
"If I were to say, like, 14 years from now I'm still pitching at an elite level, I would love that. And hopefully those (14 years) are all here. If you get to wear one jersey, I think that's really special," he said.
"We'll see," he added. "I don't really think too far ahead of myself."
Skubal will be in a new jersey the next time he takes the mound. And possibly another one yet at the start of next season. He had big dreams in Detroit, and he wanted -- and deserved -- big money to stay.
The Tigers weren't going to meet his demands. Skubal and Scott Boras weren't going to lower theirs. The relationship was fractured when the Tigers took Skubal to arbitration last winter, and neither side seemed to have much interest in reconciliation. Now it's forever severed.
It's a disappointment for everyone involved. Skubal vocalized the pain Saturday night. Next time, he might be the one hearing it.
