Tigers ace Tarik Skubal’s World Baseball Classic plan sparks debate beyond Detroit

On Monday, Tarik Skubal told reporters that he would be pitching just one World Baseball Classic start for Team USA. It'll be during pool play — for Team USA's Pool B, that means March 6-11 — and Bob Nightengale reported that he'll be scheduled to face Great Britain on March 7.

On one hand, it's a letdown for baseball fans, who would've loved to see Skubal pitch in a game that, you know ... actually matters. In a game with far higher stakes and (with apologies to Great Britain) against a far more intimidating opponent.

On the other hand, it was sort of a relief for Tigers fans, who know we can't afford to lose our ace in his walk year, with Framber Valdez right behind him to make one of the scariest one-two punches in the game. This is the best shot the Tigers have had to win a World Series in years; losing Skubal would immediately send odds plummeting.

But, to no one's surprise, non-Tigers fans have had opinions. Is Skubal needlessly taking up the roster spot just to pitch in a game that, frankly, will be a cake walk for him? Couldn't he have at least pitched against a far more intimidating foe in Team Mexico?

Tarik Skubal's single World Baseball Classic start will be against Great Britain in pool play

"What's the point of even going, then?" is the prevailing sentiment. Why make such a big deal about your participation if all you're willing to give is a single start outside of tournament play? Team USA needs Skubal on the mound against the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea — just to name a few — far more than they need him against a Jazz Chisholm-led Great Britain.

As Tigers fans, we're far more relieved that Skubal's injury risk level just plummeted ... but seriously, why couldn't it have at least been Mexico? They were electric in 2023, led by a revitalized Randy Arozarena, and they seem like the likely runners-up to move on to the quarterfinals.

Ah, well. As fun as the WBC can be, we'd rather see the Commissioner's Trophy come home to Detroit rather than glory for the USA in a, all things considered, rather inconsequential and ancillary tournament.

Skubal's putting his health and the Tigers first in this precious window of real contention, and we're not going to complain about that.