'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal became the first Cy Young Award winner from the organization since Max Scherzer in 2013. However, unlike the powerhouse Tigers teams of the early 2010s, Skubal's team was a band of misfits that made an unprecedented push towards the 2024 postseason, thanks in large part to their unconventional pitching rotation.
In an update on Instagram, Skubal congratulated Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter for winning Baseball America's MLB Coach of the Year. Skubal placed a dog emoji on the story, perhaps signifying that he has a close relationship with Fetter.
Fetter was selected in the ninth round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. Never having reached the majors, he ventured into coaching in 2013 for the San Antonio Missions. Ahead of the 2021 season, he was hired as the pitching coach of the floundering Detroit Tigers.
Trending
After a spirited run in 2024 where they reached the ALDS and took the Cleveland Guardians to the limit, Fetter was selected for the prestigious award.
Detroit Tigers' unorthodox mound tactics
At the 2024 trade deadline, it seemed like the Detroit Tigers were giving up on their season, as they dealt away crucial pieces of their squad such as Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin and Carson Kelly.
The team was toiling away and 10 games out of the playoff picture. However, since Aug. 11, the Tigers went on a 31-13 run to finish the season, thanks in large part to their pitching crew.
Apart from ace Tarik Skubal, Detroit has used a committee of pitchers to finish games. This tactic was similar to what World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also employed. However, the biggest difference was the Tigers' coaching staff planned this, unlike Roberts, who did it out of necessity, as his starters were injured.
Skubal pitched 192 innings this year. Meanwhile, the runners-up to him are Reese Olson and Kenta Maeda, who pitched almost 80 innings less. The Tigers had 21 pitchers who had 20-inning plus outputs. In comparison, AL Central rival and ALDS foe Cleveland had 18.
