A division rivalry got testy on Friday night with arguably the game’s best pitcher jawing with another.
Back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and Mike Vasil shared pleasantries from their respective dugouts, resulting in Skubal needing to be held back.
It’s not clear what exactly prompted the back-and-forth, but after striking out Colson Montgomery with the bases loaded to end the fifth inning, Skubal took a long look toward the Chicago White Sox dugout and gave some choice words while pointing at, apparently, Vasil.
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Vasil seemed a bit surprised that he became prey for Skubal. Video appeared to catch Vasil saying to Skubal, “Nobody was talking s—t.”
“I was up there on the top step and helping the team out, cheering them on. Next thing I know, I’m getting reamed out,” he said.
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“I’m a competitive guy,” Skubal said of the brouhaha. “I kind of wear my emotions out there and that’s part of how I play the game. It’s just baseball, going back and forth. It is what it is. It happened. It’s over with.”
The strikeout came in a big spot, as it preserved a 2-2 tie. Detroit eventually went on to win 4-3.
Perhaps emotions are running a bit higher for the Tigers, who are in last place after winning the American League Central in miraculous fashion last year. Skubal said prior to his start that if the team didn’t turn things around, fans could expect a much different-looking team after the trade deadline.
One of those potential big moves could be Skubal himself, who is set to hit free agency after this season and warrants quite the payday. The largest contract ever given to a pitcher, in both money and years, is Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million deal that he signed ahead of last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and that was before he had even thrown an MLB pitch.
The White Sox, meanwhile, are in first place in the division after some miserable seasons.
