EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal recently agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers and is keeping negotiations about a long-term deal to himself.
“I’ll keep that pretty private,” Skubal told The Associated Press on Sunday at halftime of Michigan State’s win over Illinois. “But I love playing in Detroit and I’m excited to get down to spring training.”
Skubal and the Tigers avoided salary arbitration earlier this month with a $10.15 million, one-year contract.
Tigers pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training on Feb. 12 in Lakeland, Florida. Detroit opens the season March 27 on the road against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 28-year-old left-hander had an AL-high 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA and a majors-best 228 strikeouts in 31 starts. He was the unanimous pick for the league’s best pitcher.
Skubal helped Detroit make a late-season surge to earn a wild card, ending the franchise’s decade-long postseason drought. The Tigers swept Houston in the opening round before getting eliminated by Cleveland in their AL Division Series.
“We’re a young team, and a hungry team,” Skubal said. “I’m as confident as I was at the end of the year going into spring training with the additions we made and the guys we have coming back.”
The Tigers bolstered their lineup and rotation with two-time All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres and right-hander Alex Cobb, signing both to $15 million, one-year deals.
“Gleyber Torres hit one probably 470 feet off me at Comerica, so I’m glad he’s on our team,” Skubal said with a grin.
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