When Tarik Skubal, the left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, steps onto the mound against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, he will be aiming to continue a pitching streak that has garnered significant attention.

Skubal recently concluded his first career shutout featuring a remarkable 102.6 mph fastball. He has maintained an impressive 2.49 ERA and a 13.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio during his ongoing performance streak. Specifically, since his second start of the season, he has minimized his walks to just three over nine starts while striking out 82 batters and achieving a 1.86 ERA.

For perspective, Skubal has achieved three five-game stretches this year with 46 or more strikeouts. In comparison, the rest of the league combined has only one such instance, satisfying this record in part with ace Zack Wheeler’s performance. If he keeps up this momentum, he stands to become the first pitcher to win consecutive Cy Young Awards since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19, an achievement last accomplished by Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000.

“I’ve watched Tarik become a better pitcher,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch shared in November after Skubal clinched his Cy Young award. “His strike-throwing is plus, and he has developed a feel for when to use first-pitch strikes versus secondary pitches, illustrating his evolution into a dominant pitcher.

To conclude, Skubal’s change in his pitch usage — with a focus on refining and defining his pitch arsenal — has been crucial in his development. This year, he emphasizes his changeup over his fastball, a significant departure from his early career where the latter was his primary pitch.