Skubal begins to waver: Could pitch another game for Team USA? "Hard to just walk away"

Tarik Skubal left the door open regarding the possibility of pitching again for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. This wasn't originally part of the plan, which was supposed to be set in stone: Skubal would start one game in the group stage against Great Britain, then return to the Detroit Tigers' spring training camp to continue preparing for the MLB regular season.

But after making his Team USA debut today in Houston's Minute Maid Park during the USA's 9-1 victory over Great Britain, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner wavered. He hasn't made a decision yet, but after pitching once for the national team, he desires to do it again.

“This will be one of the toughest decisions I've made in my career so far,” Skubal stated after the game.

Skubal said he needs to have some discussions with the Tigers, his agent, and his family to determine whether he can continue pitching in the Classic. “I'll make a decision in the next few days.”

But being part of the Team USA locker room and pitching in a packed, electrifying stadium made it harder for him to walk away than he anticipated.

“It really changes your perspective, you know?” Skubal said, “and how incredibly proud I am to be American, to get on the mound and compete for the country. Thinking about the people who made real sacrifices so I could play this ‘kids' game.’ We'll see.”

Skubal pitched three innings against Great Britain, allowing one run. The first pitch he threw was hit for a first-pitch home run by Nate Eaton, but he then settled down and delivered five strikeouts. He threw 41 pitches, with his fastball averaging nearly 97 mph, and half of the swings against him were misses.

He said his stuff felt sharp, his arm felt good, and he enjoyed pitching in this highly competitive environment even though spring training is still early. This outing was supposed to send him straight back to the Tigers; Team USA is currently 2-0 in the tournament. But Skubal's mindset before today's start differed from his mindset after it.

“I didn't expect these emotions to come up, nor did I expect my thinking to change,” Skubal said. “I was pretty firmly planning to pitch one game and return to spring training. Obviously, things changed. That's why I need to have some conversations to try to formulate a plan for me. Yeah, I don't know what will happen.”

Speculation about Skubal possibly pitching another game began with Ken Rosenthal's sideline interview during the TV broadcast. Rosenthal asked him if there was a chance to pitch again for Team USA, and Skubal smiled and replied: “That's a tough question right now, I probably won't answer it now.” It sounded somewhat improbable at the time, but after the game, the possibility seemed more realistic. Team USA clearly hopes that the two Cy Young Award winners, Skubal and Paul Skenes, can contribute as long as possible in pursuit of the championship.

Skubal might be the most dominant pitcher in the world today; in the 2025 season he recorded 241 strikeouts and led the AL with a 2.21 ERA. But this 29-year-old left-hander is also entering his final season before becoming a free agent, with significant career considerations ahead.

Skubal admitted that after pitching today, his emotions were too heightened to decide whether to stay with Team USA or return to Tigers spring training. “My mindset right now isn't suited for making a decision,” he said.

If Skubal, after cooling down, sticks to the original plan, this would be his only appearance for Team USA, and that would still be worthwhile. He had the chance to wear “USA” on his chest. But a small possibility that seemed nonexistent hours ago has now emerged. While Skubal wrestles with the difficult choice, his Team USA teammates continue to support him.

“They've been incredibly supportive of everything,” Skubal said, “They fully understand my situation. It's unique. I've talked to people about this, and mainly, they've been very supportive of me being here from the start. I really respect that. But it's truly difficult. When you're in this environment, with a team like this, it's hard to just walk away.”