World Baseball Classic: Tarik Skubal won’t pitch again for Team USA after all

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is sticking with his original plan and returning to the Tigers after one outing for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. USA manager Mark DeRosa told reporters Monday that the plan for Skubal is to watch Monday night’s game against Mexico with his WBC teammates and then head back to spring training to rejoin the Tigers.

“Tried to make it work, but just couldn’t,” Skubal said Monday (via The Athletic). “I hate it but it’s all right. I’ll be the first to sign up for the ’28 Olympics or, whenever the next WBC is, I’ll be the first one to sign up for that, too.”

The reigning Cy Young winner said his decision was about “just being smart” but conceded that he hadn’t yet found peace.

“I think the only way I’ll be at peace with it is in Miami celebrating after we win the whole f—ing thing,” he said. “That’ll give me some peace.”

Assuming USA advances to the next round of the WBC, the team will be able to replace Skubal on the roster. 

“I would be worried about every pitch he throws,” DeRosa said. “I know what’s at stake for him. 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.

“But I also understand that 99.9% of the guys, if given his ability to get to free agency and just generational wealth on the table and everything he’s got in front of him, a chance to win three Cy Youngs in a row, I was proud that he even showed for us.”

The plan to make just one start for USA in pool play and then return to the Tigers was known from before the event. In the last few days, however, Skubal had second thoughts and discussed sticking around and possibly pitching next round for USA. 

“This is gonna be one of the tougher decisions I’ve made in my career so far,” Skubal told MLB.com after Saturday’s game. “… It just changes your perspective a little bit, you know? And how proud I am to be an American and go out there and pitch and compete, (thinking about) the people that make real sacrifices for me to play a kids’ game. So we’ll see.”

Skubal added: “I didn’t expect these types of emotions to run through my brain, or my thoughts to differ. I was pretty committed to making a start and getting back to camp. Things have changed, obviously. That’s why I’m gonna have some conversations and try to figure out a plan for me. But yeah, I don’t know either way.” 

Skubal is set to hit free agency after the season with a chance to break the proverbial bank. He’s won the last two American League Cy Young awards and is the favorite to do it again in 2026. Last season, Skubal went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 241 strikeouts against 33 walks in 195 ⅓ innings. He then went 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in three playoff starts. 

Skubal allowed a leadoff home run in his WBC outing on Friday, but that was his only damage in three innings of work, during which he struck out five.

USA would have to collapse to not make the next round of the WBC. Assuming the team does advance, Logan Webb is set to pitch in the quarterfinals with Paul Skenes lined up for the semifinals. If USA gets to the finals, youngster Nolan McLean would get the ball.