Baseball fans are furious after it was learned that MLB pitching sensation Tarik Skubal is scheduled to appear in only one game for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Skubal is shaping up to be a once in a generation pitcher, having won two Cy Young awards back-to-back, and his Detroit Tigers eyeing an American League pennant. Then, it was also announced that Skubal would pitch for Team USA at the Classic, adding yet another feather in his cap, Newsweek reported.
But fans became furious after the plans for that appearance were made public. It turns out, Skubal will only pitch one game before hopping a plane to get back home for the Tigers’ spring training camp. After his 55 or so pitches, he won’t otherwise be participating in the Classic.
It also angered fans when it was announced that he will pitch during Team USA’s game against Great Britain, which is considered one of the weakest teams in the tournament.
Fans had a load of criticism for Skubal. If he is only appearing at one game, why is he pitching against the weakest team and not popping in for one of the toughest opponents? Why is he taking a spot from some other worthy pitcher just for one game? Why is he showing up at all if it isn’t for the whole series?
The whole plan smacks of Skubal looking to pad his resume while otherwise adding little to Team USA’s quest for a big win and Skubal is being called a quitter for refusing to commit for the whole event.
“If you don’t want to commit to the WBC, that’s fine,” Red Sox reporter Matthew Gross, or one, ripped Skubal in a post on X. “Don’t show up at all! But this toe in the water and bail approach is deeply unserious and bad for the legitimacy of the tournament as a whole.”
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