The comparsion of Justin Verlander to Tarik Skubal has been one that has been rather unfair. For starters, Verlander's first two apperances in the postseason, he posted ERA's over 5 and postseason appearances were five seasons apart.
The version of Justin Verlander that defined clutch postseason pitching didn’t arrive until 2012. That October, he beat the Athletics twice, allowing just one run over 16 innings, then followed with a one-run gem against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series.
That 2012 Tigers rotation of Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Doug Fister, Aníbal Sánchez and Drew Smyly of was one of the deepest in franchise history. When the staff was shortened to four for the postseason, Sánchez, Verlander, Fister and Scherzer all posted ERAs under 2.30. Detroit’s pitching was relentless, its rotation a luxury few franchises have ever assembled. Verlander stood at the center of it all, the unquestioned ace who embodied power, precision, and poise. "Must see JV" was appointed viewing.
More than a decade later, Verlander’s shadow still looms large among Tigers fans. Comparisons are inevitable , it’s human nature.
At 28, Skubal is coming off one of the finest seasons by a Tigers starter since Verlander’s peak. His 2.21 ERA was the lowest by a qualified Detroit pitcher since Denny McLain’s 1.96 in 1968, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked among the best in baseball. More than numbers, though, Skubal carries himself with the same calm intensity that once defined Verlander.
Now, he faces his defining test, a chance to pitch the Tigers into their first ALCS since 2013. The stage is fitting: Seattle, the city where he first made his name as a left-handed power arm at Seattle University. For Skubal, it’s a full-circle moment.
Like Verlander a decade earlier, Skubal has built his breakout season on dominance and consistency. He’s learned to attack hitters differently, leaning on a devastating changeup to complement a mid-90s fastball that rides through the zone. His advanced metrics, from FIP to K per 9, place him among the elite arms in baseball, yet his demeanor remains grounded and unflappable.
So far this postseason, Skubal has struck out 23 in 14.2 innings of work in two starts, posting an ERA of 1.84. While the offense has not been able to provide enough to support him, Skubal has carried the pitching staff on his back for these two starts. But he still needs that one "wow, that will be remembered forever" type of start, like Verlander did against Oakland.
For Tigers fans, it’s impossible not to draw parallels. A decade ago, Verlander was the ace who gave Detroit hope every time he took the mound. Tonight, Skubal wears that mantle. He may not have Verlander’s history or hardware, but what he has is an opportunity, one game, in the city that shaped him, to begin writing his own postseason chapter.
If he delivers, Detroit won’t just remember another great October start. They’ll remember the night Tarik Skubal stepped out of Justin Verlander’s shadow and into his own legacy.
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