Detroit Tigers Clinch MLB Playoff Berth With Tarik Skubal Scheduled For AL Wild-Card Series Start

The Detroit Tigers have secured a second consecutive MLB playoff berth following a crucial 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox, but their late-season collapse has ceded the AL Central Division title to the Cleveland Guardians. Manager A.J. Hinch revealed that ace pitcher Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and a favorite to repeat, will be rested during Sunday's regular-season finale if the Tigers have already clinched a playoff spot, preserving him for Game 1 of the upcoming wild-card series. Skubal has been a standout with a 13-6 record, a 2.21 ERA, and 241 strikeouts, but the Tigers' faltering offense and a conservative trade deadline approach have contributed to their recent struggles. The team has lost seven straight games and ten of their last eleven, eroding a once commanding 14-game division lead and raising questions about Skubal's future with the franchise amid looming free agency and potential massive contract demands. If the Tigers need to earn their playoff berth in the final games, Skubal will pitch in the decisive Sunday matchup; otherwise, he will be conserved for the postseason. This strategy mirrors the Tigers' approach last year, aiming to maximize Skubal's impact in critical playoff moments.