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Tarik Skubal is sticking with his original plan for the World Baseball Classic after all, as Team USA manager Mark DeRosa announced that the 2025 Cy Young Award winner will return to the Detroit Tigers after their start against Great Britain.
Skubal was always supposed to return to his club after Team USA’s second group game in Houston, a 9-1 victory over Great Britain. However, after taking his scheduled pitch count in the victory, Skubal appeared to have doubts about a one-time appearance.
“I didn’t expect these kinds of emotions to go through my brain or for my thoughts to be different,” Skubal told reporters, according to ESPN. “I was pretty committed to getting started and getting back to camp.
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Team USA’s Tarik Skubal pitches in the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic presented by Capital One Group B game between Team Great Britain and Team USA at Daikin Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB)
“Things have changed, obviously. So I’m going to have some conversations and try to come up with a plan for myself. But yeah, I don’t know either way.”
Skubal hasn’t been shy about saying how much he’s enjoyed being on one of the best Team USA rosters ever assembled for the tournament, which includes fellow Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, who will pitch against Mexico on Monday night. Skubal even noted that he could regroup with Team USA if they make it out of their group and head to Miami for the knockout games.
TIGERS ACE TARIK SKUBAL WINS RECORD $32M IN ARBITRATION: REPORTS
“When you get into these environments, when you have this team, it’s hard to walk away from that,” Skubal added.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan on September 6, 2025. (Rick Osentoski/Image Images)
But Skubal, who will become a free agent after this season with the Tigers, stuck to the game plan from the beginning.
The 29-year-old is expected to get the richest contract of any pitcher in MLB history this coming winter, and could be in the $500 million ballpark. And perhaps his decision was made easier knowing that his national teammates understand him back at the Tigers’ facility.
“He’s got the two Cy Young Awards, but this guy is about to make $500 million next offseason,” US team captain Aaron Judge said, according to USA TODAY. “So for him to risk everything for his country and come here and perform for us… You know, maybe it’s just a game, but you know there’s a risk in everything you do, and for him to take that risk and come here and be with us, the guys love it.”
Tarik Skubal of the United States reacts during a Group B game of the World Baseball Classic between Great Britain and the United States at Daikin Park on March 7, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Houston Astros/Getty Images)
Skubal received an MLB record $32 million in arbitration, surpassing the previous arbitration record of the New York Mets and current Dominican Republic star Juan Soto.
After a fantastic 2024 campaign that ended with some much-deserved hardware, Skubal followed up with an AL-leading 2.21 ERA in 195⅓ innings over 31 starts. He also struck out 241 batters, 13 more than his league-leading mark the year before.
