Justin Verlander Returns, But Tarik Skubal Still Commands the Mound for Tigers' Opening Day
LAKELAND, FL - Justin Verlander is back in TigerTown, and that alone is enough to stir up memories and raise eyebrows. But make no mistake - this is Tarik Skubal’s rotation now.
The Detroit Tigers made it official: Skubal will take the ball on Opening Day, March 26, when the Tigers open their 2026 season on the road against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Manager A.J. Hinch didn’t leave any room for suspense. When asked who would get the nod, he answered with zero hesitation: “Tarik Skubal.”
That’s how it should be. Skubal isn’t just the staff ace - he’s the reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner and the most dominant lefty in the AL over the past two seasons.
This will be his third straight Opening Day start, having previously faced the White Sox in 2024 and the Dodgers in 2025. Each time, he’s taken the mound not just as the team’s top arm, but as one of the elite pitchers in all of baseball.
Let’s talk numbers - because they’re staggering. In 2025, Skubal posted a 2.21 ERA over 195⅓ innings, striking out 241 while walking just 33 in 31 starts.
That’s a level of efficiency and command that puts him in rare company. He led the American League in ERA for the second straight year, after a 2.39 mark in 2024.
And with that, he became the first back-to-back AL Cy Young winner since Pedro Martínez pulled it off in 1999 and 2000.
Now, at 29 years old and set to earn $32 million this season after winning his arbitration case, Skubal has a chance to do something only two pitchers in MLB history have ever done - win three Cy Young Awards in a row. The only names on that list?
Greg Maddux (1992-95) and Randy Johnson (1999-2002), both of whom won four straight in the National League. That’s the kind of historic territory Skubal is entering.
Of course, Verlander’s return adds a layer of nostalgia and intrigue to spring training in Lakeland. The future Hall of Famer is back in a Tigers uniform, and while his presence will command plenty of attention, the present - and future - of the Tigers’ rotation belongs to Skubal.
The Tigers have made their statement before the first pitch of spring training workouts: the torch has been passed, and it’s burning bright in Skubal’s left hand.