DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out seven in 4 2/3 innings for the Detroit Tigers in a 6-1 spring training game win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday rather than make a second start for the United States at the World Baseball Classic.
Winner of the last two AL Cy Young Awards, Skubal and the Tigers agreed in January that he would be limited to one WBC outing, and he allowed one run and two hits in a 9-1 group stage win over Britain on March 7.
He discussed making another start for the U.S. and decided not to after the 29-year-old left-hander consulted with Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, agent Scott Boras and teammates.
Skubal, eligible to become a free agent after the World Series, threw 44 of 61 pitches for strikes in his third spring training outing for the Tigers, matched up with three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. He will likely have one more outing before Detroit's opener at San Diego on March 26.
Scherzer, a 41-year-old right-hander, allowed two hits in 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts and two walks, throwing 42 of 65 pitches for strikes.
He agreed two weeks into spring training on a one-year contract guaranteeing $3 million and made his first exhibition appearance on March 7. Scherzer has allowed two hits over 8 2/3 scoreless innings.
