Skubal: 'Not fair' to question my patriotism for leaving WBC

As some fans criticize Tarik Skubal for leaving Team USA following one start in pool play at the World Baseball Classic, the star pitcher says the response he's received isn't warranted.

"It's just not fair," the Detroit Tigers ace said Wednesday after returning to camp, according to Jayson Stark of The Athletic. "But that's part of the business. It's part of the game. If they know me, though, and they know me on a personal level and they know what my peers think of me, I don't think it's fair to say those things."

Skubal initially planned to make just one start for the U.S. However, he contemplated pitching again in the tournament after Saturday's outing versus Great Britain. He ultimately stuck to his original plan in what he called a "really hard" decision.

"No, because a lot of those opinions and narratives are created by people that don't know me, you know?" the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner said when asked if off-field pressure factored into his choice. "And I think if you ask anyone in the clubhouse, my peers … you ask any peers in that clubhouse, on Team USA, they've all been pretty vocally supportive of what I've got going on.

"And they also made a big impact on (this decision). I talked to them all personally. I took a lot of those guys aside, and (they) helped me make a decision. So, the narrative that's created outside … I can't control it. I want to control what I can control. … And I can't control the narrative."

Skubal can test free agency after the 2026 season. The 29-year-old left-hander is expected to land the largest contract for a pitcher in MLB history.