If only they were playing against each other.
It’s Doubleheader Thursday, a day we will see both Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes both play at Comerica Park on the same day… but not the same game.
In today’s news breakdown, we’re looking at some interesting team sale news (not the Tigers), some trade deadline speculation (yes, the Tigers), and a White Sox chant at the Vatican.
Detroit Tigers News:
- Both Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes will pitch in Detroit tomorrow, though unfortunately not in the same game. Still, their names are among the most mentioned in Cy Young discussion. Here’s what Sports Illustrated had to say about Skubal specifically :
Tarik Skubal is the clear-cut favorite to win the Cy Young for the second consecutive season. The Tigers ace has been nothing short of dominant through his first 14 starts. The lefty’s 3.6 bWAR is best among AL pitchers and fifth-best among all players.
Skubal boasts a 1.99 ERA with 111 strikeouts and just nine walks in 90 1/3 innings. He’s surrendered one or zero runs in nine of his 14 starts. No qualified starter has fewer walks this season than Skubal, who also ranks first in MLB with a 0.81 WHIP, third in strikeouts and fifth in K/9 at 11.06. After running away with the award last season, the 28-year-old has somehow managed to improve upon his 2024 campaign with an even stronger showing.
- In a Reddit AMA, Tigers’ beat writer Jason Beck answered fan questions, and here’s what he said about how aggressive the Tigers would be at the deadline :
I think the Tigers will be aggressive on the guys they want to bring in. That doesn’t mean they’ll make the biggest deal. But I think president of baseball operations Scott Harris knows what he and manager A.J. Hinch want/need — particularly relief depth, maybe another starter, possibly a right-handed bat for the lineup or a more full-time answer at third base — and they have the prospect depth to make a few deals without selling out the farm system.
AL Central News:
- I have no preamble. Just this…
Getting a White Sox chant going with the pope has to be an incredible feeling pic.twitter.com/BhNG0bsiAn
— Kenny Ducey (@KennyDucey) June 18, 2025
- Stephen Vogt is heading to the All-Star Game.
Vogter has been named to the 2025 All-Star Game coaching staff!
Let’s get the rest of our Guards there too.https://t.co/twAxRaaPhX #GuardsBall | #VoteGuards pic.twitter.com/wy5YPO1xEe
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 17, 2025
MLB News:
- Shohei Ohtani shared an impressive photo of himself being hit by a pitch.
- This is pretty wild news.
SCOOP: The Tampa Bay Rays are in advanced talks to sell the club to a group led by Jacksonville home builder Patrick Zalupski.
Parties have signed a letter of intent, and the price is roughly $1.7B. Details at @Sportico from @soshnick and me.https://t.co/gugFFMBnJe
— Kurt Badenhausen (@kbadenhausen) June 18, 2025
Official statement from @RaysBaseball on a potential sale of the team: “The Tampa Bay Rays announced that the team has recently commenced exclusive discussions with a group led by Patrick Zalupski, Bill Cosgrove, Ken Babby and prominent Tampa Bay investors concerning a possible…
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) June 18, 2025
- The Dodgers ran out of pitchers to buy, so they’re just going to buy the Lakers.
BREAKING: The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO and chairman of diversified holding company TWG Global, sources tell ESPN. Jeanie Buss will continue to serve in her role as Governor after the sale. pic.twitter.com/1Da6LDD7TJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 18, 2025
- Perfect. No notes.
Might be the easiest HR catch a fan will ever make