Tarik Skubal, ace of the Tigers, will return to his MLB team after making only one start for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). USA manager Mark DeRosa confirmed that Skubal plans to watch the WBC game against Mexico before heading back to Tigers spring training.

“I tried to make it work, but just couldn’t,” Skubal said on Monday (via The Athletic). “I hate it but it’s all right. I’d love to participate in the next World Baseball Classic or Olympics.”

The Cy Young winner emphasized that his choice was pragmatic, albeit challenging, and expressed his desire to win as part of his team, saying, “I think the only way I’ll be at peace with it is if we celebrate in Miami after we win the whole freaking thing.”

Assuming USA progresses, they can replace Skubal for subsequent rounds. DeRosa appreciated Skubal’s willingness to join Team USA initially, noting that he is comfortable prioritizing his future at this time.

The prearranged plan was for Skubal to pitch once for Team USA before returning to the Tigers, but he did have internal conflict about possibly staying on through the next rounds of the tournament.

“This is going to be one of the tougher decisions I’ve made in my career so far,” he remarked to MLB.com following Saturday’s game. “It’s about being proud of representing my country, and I feel the weight of those sacrifices it takes to play the game of baseball.”

Skubal, who is set to enter free agency at the end of the season, won the last two Cy Young awards and is positioned as a top contender for a third in a row. Last season, he boasted a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA alongside a striking 241 strikeouts in 195 ⅓ innings including three playoff appearances.

In his WBC outing, despite giving up a leadoff home run, Skubal managed to strike out five batters during his three innings on the mound.

If the USA team moves on, it’s expected that Logan Webb will take the mound next, followed by Paul Skenes in the semifinals and potentially Nolan McLean in the championship game.