The Detroit Tigers trip to Miami has gotten off to a rough start.
Ace pitcher Tarik Skubal and All-Star shortstop Javier Baez both left Friday night’s game against the Marlins with injuries.
Baez exited the game after he fouled off a pitch that struck near his left eye in the second inning. Báez swung at a 90 mph changeup from Sandy Alcantara. The ball first deflected off the brim of his batting helmet before making contact near his eye.
Báez remained on the ground near home plate and was tended to by the Tigers training staff. He quickly reached his feet and left the game. Trey Sweeney completed the at-bat with a strikeout that was credited to Báez.
The 32-year-old Báez is in the fourth season of a six-year free agent contract with the Tigers. After hitting .184 in 80 games last season, he is hitting .257 and has 11 homers through 117 games in 2025, when he also made his first All-Star Game appearance as a Tiger.
But was more worrisome was Skubal having an rocky night on the mound. After a recent stretch of dominant outings, Skubal struggled Friday, giving up four runs and four hits. Rookie Agustin Ramirez and outfielder Heriberto Hernandez hit solo homers off Skubal.
Skubal had allowed one earned run over his previous 27 1/3 innings and had thrown seven scoreless innings in each of his last two starts.
Skubal called a trainer out to the mound in the fourth. The team released a statement saying he was experiencing tightness in his left side.
Skubal, the 2024 Cy Young Award winner, is the heavy favorite to repeat as the American League’s top pitcher. He is third in the majors with a 2.26 ERA and second with the majors with 228 strikeouts.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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