Tigers Ace Skubal Leaves Team USA Early at WBC

Pitcher cites scheduling conflicts and injury risk as reasons for early departure from World Baseball Classic

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, confirmed he will only make one start for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic before returning to his MLB team. Skubal cited the difficulty in balancing his WBC commitment with his preparation for the Tigers' regular season opener as the primary reason for his early departure, despite his strong desire to represent his country.

Why it matters

Skubal's decision highlights the challenges top MLB pitchers face in balancing their national team obligations with their professional commitments. As a star player in a contract year, Skubal had to weigh the honor of playing for Team USA against the risks of injury and disruption to his regular season preparation.

The details

Skubal threw 41 pitches in 3 innings for Team USA on Saturday, allowing 1 run and striking out 5. After that outing, he consulted with teammates, coaches, and his agent before deciding he could not make additional starts for the U.S. team without jeopardizing his readiness for the Tigers' season opener on March 26. Skubal said the "risk and injury stuff" as well as the "jump in workload" were the primary factors in his decision.

  • Skubal made one start for Team USA on Saturday, March 11.
  • Skubal will rejoin the Detroit Tigers after Team USA's pool play game against Mexico on Monday, March 13.

The players

Tarik Skubal

A two-time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who was set to make one start for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic before returning to his MLB club.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of the United States national baseball team for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Alex Bregman

A player on the United States national baseball team who spoke with Skubal about his decision to leave the team early.

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What they’re saying

“I haven't felt that since, like, '24, just that feeling of not being able to feel. So, that was awesome. I loved it. And I want to experience it again, and I plan on experiencing it again with this club.”

— Tarik Skubal (foxsports.com)

“Given his ability to get to free agency and just generational wealth on the table and everything he's got in front of him, a chance to win three Cy Youngs in a row, I was proud that he even showed for us.”

— Mark DeRosa, USA Manager (foxsports.com)

“Tarik's awesome. Awesome human being, awesome player, one of the best pitchers in the world. And we kind of all understand the situation that he's in, and whatever decision he was going to make, we fully have his back.”

— Alex Bregman (foxsports.com)

What’s next

Skubal plans to rejoin Team USA in Miami if they advance to the semifinals and finals of the World Baseball Classic, but only to watch and support his teammates.

The takeaway

Skubal's decision to leave Team USA early highlights the difficult balancing act top MLB pitchers face between representing their country and prioritizing their professional commitments and long-term career goals. His situation underscores the need for better scheduling coordination between international tournaments and the MLB regular season.