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With Spring Training and the 2025 MLB season inching closer, player developmental specialist coach Justin Wakefield has a mission for the 2024 Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
The Detroit Tigers southpaw put a triple crown season in the books on his way to unanimous Cy Young voting.
On Sunday, Wakefield celebrated Skubal’s milestone while adding a challenge:
"The only thing cooler than winning one Cy Young is winning two."
Skubal’s reaction? A simple 2-word response:
"My Dawgs."
Wakefield’s post featured Skubal’s outstanding 2024 season stats — an 18-4 win-loss record, a 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts, and 192 innings pitched — all of which contributed to Skubal earning his first career Cy Young Award.
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Tarik Skubal credits people around him upon winning AL Cy Young
While on the surface it appears an individual winning the award but behind the scenes, it's the reward of hard work put in by coaches and defensive efforts of teammates on the field. Skubal acknowledged their efforts, saying (via MLB.com):
“I don't really like talking about myself too much. As much as this is an individual award, I think it's very much a team effort from the people in my life, group effort, from the organization, the defense behind me, the catching, the timely hitting. As much as I can make it about myself, I think it's important to give credit to the people who are around me.”
With Cy Young in his cabinet, Skubal is full of confidence heading into the 2025 season.
“I've never been more motivated in my career to go out there and put my body in a position where I can stay healthy for 162 games, plus whatever the postseason brings,” Skubal added. “I'm proud of what I accomplished, but I've never been more eager to look forward.”
Thanks to Skubal's exceptional performance, the Tigers made the postseason in 2024. They outdueled the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card, and one of the wins in the series came as a result of Skubal's six shutout innings. The Tigers were defeated by the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS to conclude their postseason.
