Tarik Skubal will be heavily limited to fewer than 60 pitches in his lone appearance at the World Baseball Classic. He is scheduled to help Team USA in its March 7 matchup against Great Britain, the national team’s second game of the tournament, before returning to his MLB club.
The report came from Bob Nightengale on X (@bnightengale): “The plan is for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to throw about 55 pitches against Great Britain in the second game of the WBC and then return to Lakeland to rejoin the Tigers.”
Roughly 55 pitches from Skubal would translate to about three innings, possibly a bit more. That could benefit Team USA if it manages to generate runs early against the British squad. Skubal typically features high velocity through the first three innings, often touching 100-plus mph.
Mixed reaction to Skubal’s limited workload
Team USA fans voiced frustration on X after learning Skubal would be capped at 55 pitches and would not return to pitch for the national team, even if it advances to the World Baseball Classic final.
“Tarik Skubal being limited to just 55 pitches against Great Britain, and it being his only game in the WBC, is an absolute disgrace! A waste of time and roster spot. This reflects poorly on all involved — Skubal, the Tigers, Boras, etc. Either you commit 100% or don’t, simple!” Dan Clark of TBLDaily.com wrote on X.
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It’s worth noting that the WBC has pitch-count restrictions for Round 1, with pitchers limited to 65 pitches per outing. That leaves open the possibility that Skubal could exceed the reported 55-pitch plan and reach the tournament’s maximum threshold set by organizers.
“It’s Great Britain though. Skubal could throw a complete game with 55 pitches against a team of plumbers. There’s a 15-run mercy rule that applies after five innings. This isn’t Japan or the Dominican Republic. Canada beat Great Britain 18-8 in the last WBC,” another fan wrote on X.
