Tarik Skubal pitch count, explained: Why USA ace will be limited in lone start at World Baseball Classic
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Tarik Skubal pitch count, explained: Why USA ace will be limited in lone start at World Baseball Classic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Fresh off two-straight AL Cy Young victories, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is hoping to add a WBC championship to his list of accomplishments.
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However, while pitchers like Paul Skenes and Logan Webb are committing fully to the WBC, Skubal is approaching the tournament with more caution. The lefty will make a start in group play for the United States, but he comes with significant limitations that go beyond WBC rules.
As Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, Team USA will accept him in any does as the team goes for gold. That means manager Mark DeRosa will have to follow a strict pitch-count guide for Skubal.
Here's why Skubal will be limited in his start against Great Britain.
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Tarik Skubal pitch count, explained
Skubal is expected to throw around 55 pitches in his first and only World Baseball Classic appearance, which is 10 pitches fewer than the group play pitch count. The Tigers ace is still preparing for the MLB season, and he doesn't want to over-exert himself at the expense of Detroit.
Skubal is set to hit free agency at the end of the year, which is likely playing a role in this decision. While Skubal wants to play for Team USA in the WBC, he is in line for a massive contract in the offseason and wants to stay healthy through the year.
Manager Mark DeRosa has to make sure each pitcher follows their noted schedule, which is even stricter for Skubal.
"You’ve got to honor the guy," DeRosa said, via The Athletic. "(Team USA pitchers) are already manipulating their schedule to be a part of this. We're not going to do anything crazy."
When will Tarik Skubal pitch again at WBC?
Tarik Skubal will make one start in the World Baseball Classic, as he is set to pitch against Great Britain on Saturday night. Once that game is over, Skubal will return to Tigers' spring training in Florida to prepare for the 2026 season.
Mark DeRosa is using Skubal on Saturday because that is how the pitcher lines up based on the Tigers' spring training schedule.
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Pitch count rules at WBC
The World Baseball Classic includes pitch-count rules for every pitcher involved as a way to keep them healthy. Since most of the players haven't pitched in meaningful games in months, they typically aren't built up to the regular season level.
Each pitch count limit is dependent on the round, with pitchers being allowed to go deeper into games in the knockout stages. Here's how many pitches are allowed in each round:
- Pool play: 65 pitches
- Quarterfinal round: 80 pitches
- Semifinals and championship round: 95 pitches
Pitchers are allowed to exceed pitch counts to finish at bats, allowing managers not to worry about making mid-at bat pitching changes.