HOUSTON (AP) — Tarik Skubal didn’t get a lot of sleep the last two nights as he mulled whether to pitch again for the United States in the World Baseball Classic.
In the end, the Detroit Tigers ace and reigning two-time AL Cy Young Award winner decided against it.
“My spring training start days were scripted out in January with the original plan being starting and then being done,” Skubal said. “And obviously when I got here my emotions kind of changed a little bit, my thought process changed a little bit and tried to make it work but just couldn’t. And I hate it, but it’s all right.”
He said he made the decision after consulting with the Tigers and manager A.J. Hinch, his agent Scott Boras and his teammates in Houston and at spring training in Florida.
“The resounding message was to kind of be done but still be around the team as much as I can,” Skubal said.
Skubal is eligible to become a free agent after this season and is expected to secure a nine-figure contract. He said his decision would have “probably” been different if not for the contract implications.
Skubal gave up a home run to Nate Eaton on his first pitch Saturday night but allowed just one single after that while striking out five in three innings of a 9-1 victory over Britain.
Manager Mark DeRosa fully understands why he chose not to start again and supports his decision.
“I know what’s at stake for him,” DeRosa said. “I’m over the moon he decided to show in the first place for us — I really am — and take the ball for us. I think it meant a lot to a lot of guys in that room. We know where his heart is. If he was in a different situation, he wouldn’t be leaving.”
Last month, Skubal said he intended to make only one WBC start regardless of how far the U.S. advanced because he wanted to remain on a regular spring training regimen and ramp up for opening day with Detroit.
He said he was surprised with how emotional pitching for his country made him and it caused him to rethink his decision.
“I totally misread how I would feel,” he said. “And I feel like I’m genuinely a guy that kind of understands emotions, I pitch with a lot of them, but, yeah, I missed it there, and that’s what made this decision tough.”
He added that he will make the trip from Tigers camp in Lakeland, Florida, to Miami to be with the team if the U.S. advances there for the semifinals and the finals.
He was asked if he was at peace with his decision.
“No, no, I’m still not,” he said. “I think the only way I’ll be at peace with it is in Miami celebrating after we win the whole (expletive) thing.”
Skubal added that he would love to pitch in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics if MLB players are allowed to participate and that he’ll be the first to sign up for the next WBC.
“I love America,” he said. “I love our country. I love everything that this tournament is about.”
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