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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is one of the best pitchers in the league. However, the All-Star starting pitcher seems to always struggle against Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez.
Although Skubal claimed his first AL Cy Young Award after a stellar season last year, he struggled against the veteran Royals catcher in their matchup in August. In the series-deciding third game at Comercia Park on August 2, Perez hit Skubal for a home on the first pitch of his first at-bat in the game.
He drove in a single on the first pitch of the second at-bat against Skubal. However, the Tigers ace came back strong to strike out the nine-time All-Star in the sixth inning. The 34-year-old had a big smile and said to Skubal:
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Good pitch. You strike me out a lot.
In an Instagram post by MLB.com, Skubal talked about his encounter against the former World Series MVP and disagreed with his comment during the game.
"I don't think I do," Skubal said on striking out Perez a lot. If you look at the career numbers, they are heavily in his favor.
The Royals great is 10-for-26 with four homers, nine RBIs and an incredible 1.200 OPS against the reigning Cy Young winner.
Skubal made his feelings clear with a 3-word comment on the post:
"Career 1.200 OPS."
Tarik Skubal, Salvador Perez share respect for each other
Although Salvador Perez got the better of the Tigers ace in the Royals' 9-2 win in the series finale, he was full of praise for his American League All-Star teammate after the game.
“He [asked] me, like, 'How can I get you out?' I told him during the game, 'You strike me out a lot! Thank God I got two hits off you tonight,'” Perez said in August.. “He's a great guy, man. We hung out during the All-Star Game, and I got the opportunity to talk to him for a little bit. He's a good guy.”
Skubal also reacted to Perez's gesture after being struck out:
"To have that moment with him, I don't know if he thinks it's special because obviously he struck out, but I think he had a good day off me overall. It was pretty cool, though."
It'll be interesting to see who gets the upper hand when two of the best in the game square off against each other in what is expected to be a heated race for the AL Central next season.
