Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal throws darn 'near an immaculate inning' against Phillies

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers tied the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-2, on Saturday at BayCare Ballpark.

Detroit is 9-9-3 in Grapefruit League play.

What happened

This had the feel of a big-league game with big-name aces on the mound and big-time players in the lineup. The Phillies started Zack Wheeler, who was second in the NL Cy Young award; and the Tigers countered with Tarik Skubal, the AL Cy Young winner.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.

In fact, everything about this day felt like an Opening Day, if one were ever held in 84-degree weather in a beach town under bright sunshine and blue skies.

“It's always a great day when Skubal pitches because there's a different aura around the game,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said before the game. “Then you factor in where we are in the spring. It's a beautiful ballpark to come on a weekend.

"It's usually packed. Look across the way and Wheeler's pitching. Look at the top of their lineup, and you see Bryce (Harper), you see (Alec) Bohm, and you see Trea Turner.”

And Skubal didn't disappoint, recording seven strikeouts in five innings.

"People are going to say, it doesn't matter," Skubal said of a spring training game. "I can promise you, it matters to almost everybody. So, yeah, it's competitive."

In the fourth inning, Skubal had a three-pitch strikeout, a two-pitch groundout and a three-pitch strikeout of Nick Castellanos, finishing off the former Tiger with a 100-mph heater.

"That's damn near an immaculate inning," Skubal said. "So that's who I want to be."

Starting off

The Tigers cut eight players Saturday, setting the tone for the final week in Florida.

“One of the reasons that we made the cuts today is the last week should feel different,” Hinch said. “You should see more recognizable names. You should play a little bit deeper into the game. You should be in a room where you look around and every single person is trying to get on this roster.”

Wenceel Perez returned to action after about two weeks off with a back injury. He started in centerfield, where he is expected to play this season.

Detroit Tigers infielder Colt Keith works out at first base during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025.

At the plate

Hinch stresses that he is not as concerned about spring training stats. But he does pay attention to something: are you making hard contact?

Well, Colt Keith blistered the ball on Saturday. He had a two-run double, firing a shot into the left-center gap. The exit velocity was 103.6 mph. He also rifled a single recorded at 101.3.

Considering both came off Wheeler, that’s ripping the ball.

Meanwhile, it seems as if Jace Jung needs to put together a great week to make this team, in part, because Jung has not made hard contact. He had a strikeout and a flyball with an exit velo of 89.1 mph, which is not the start of the week he needed.

On the mound

Skubal matched the moment, recording three strikeouts in the first inning, wrapped around a Bryce Harper single. He forced Turner to swing and miss at a 98-mph fastball, took down Bohm on a called third strike with another 98-mph fastball and ended the inning when Kyle Schwarber foul tipped an 88-mph changeup that catcher Jake Rogers was able to snag.

Skubal scattered six hits and gave up two runs.

"That's one of the best lineups in the game, one of the best teams in the game," Skubal said. "So when you get to come on the road in spring and kind of see where you're at and facing really good hitters, I think it's always a good opportunity."

Brian Hanifee threw 2.0 innings, holding the Phillies scoreless.

Three stars

1. Skubal. 2. Keith. 3. Hanifee.

Next up: Orioles

Sunday (1:05 p.m., no TV) vs. Baltimore in Lakeland, Fla.

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers' Tarik Skubal hurls 'near an immaculate inning' vs Phillies

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Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal throws darn 'near an immaculate inning' against Phillies

Starting off

At the plate

On the mound

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