Three reasons for the Detroit Tigers’ pitching regression

1. Tarik Skubal has regressed

Many felt Tarik Skubal was on his way to a breakout; establishing himself as one of the top 30 pitchers in the game and becoming the horse the Detroit Tigers were hoping to develop through their rebuild. While that could still be the case in the long-term, Skubal has struggled in his last five starts:

Overall, Skubal could still very well be on his way to having a great year, but this lump in the season cannot be ignored. Manager A.J. Hinch has mentioned in interviews that Skubal has been taking bad pitches with him into following pitches and at-bats and feels that lack of focus might be a contributing factor to his struggles.

Skubal allowed two home runs in his first nine starts but has allowed four in his last six contests, lending credence to Hinch’s theory. Skubal’s velocity and movement profiles remain strong, too. For a roster littered with dings, maybe Skubal’s issues being more mental is a more favorable fix over something mechanical or physical.