Tarik Skubal DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal will get the nod on Opening Day on March 27 against the World Series-champion Los Angeles Dodgers. "I'm looking forward to the challenge. You don't know how many Opening Days you're going to start in your career and I'm honored to be able to start two of them," Skubal said. It's no surprise that the 28-year-old southpaw will take the hill on Opening Day at Chavez Ravine after winning the American League Cy Young award unanimously in 2024. He will have a tough task on his hands on the road against the Dodgers, but fantasy managers that pay the high price to take Skubal early in drafts shouldn't be benching him. The former ninth-round pick in 2018 out of Seattle University led the league in WAR (6.3), wins (18), ERA (2.39), strikeouts (228) and FIP (2.49) in 192 innings and 31 starts in 2024 in his fifth year in the league with Detroit.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Detroit Tigers and starting pitcher Tarik Skubal settled on a one-year contract with $10.15 million to avoid arbitration. Skubal was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball last season en route to winning the American League Cy Young Award. Across 192 innings, which was a career-high, the southpaw posted a 2.39 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP with an 18-4 record. He generated a stellar 2.72 xERA and .208 xBA. He generated strikeouts at an elite 30.3% rate and whiffs at a 31.9% rate. He also limited hard contact at a solid 33.9% hard-hit rate. Fantasy managers should view Skubal as one of the top pitchers in baseball heading into the 2025 campaign. Given his elite strikeout ability and ability to limit hard contact, he is worthy of being viewed as the SP1 in all formats.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award on Wednesday, the first time the 28-year-old has won the award. The lefty dominated in his 15 starts in 2023 after his return from Tommy John surgery and backed it up with a full season of dominance in 2024. The southpaw went 18-4 while posting a 2.39 ERA -- FIP, xFIP, and SIERA were all under 3.00 as well -- with a 0.92 WHIP, and an elite 25.6% K-BB% in 31 starts (192 IP). The former ninth-round draft pick also made it to his first All-Star game this season. He'll certainly cost quite a bit more in 2025 fantasy drafts than he did this year, but so long as he can stay healthy, he has the repertoire to deliver on a high draft-day price tag.