Two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will start for the Detroit Tigers on Opening Day against the San Diego Padres. Manager A.J. Hinch announced the decision during spring training camp. The game is set for March 26 in San Diego.
The Detroit Tigers have selected Tarik Skubal to take the mound for their 2026 Opening Day matchup against the San Diego Padres. The announcement came from manager A.J. Hinch on Wednesday morning at spring camp. Detroit's season opener is scheduled for March 26 at 4:10 p.m. ET in San Diego.
Skubal, who won consecutive AL Cy Young Awards in the past two seasons, earned the honor with his dominant performance last year. He led the American League with a 2.21 ERA and recorded 241 strikeouts over 195 1/3 innings pitched. This will mark Skubal's third straight Opening Day start for the Tigers. A panel recently sided with him in arbitration, setting his 2026 salary at $32 million.
Skubal anchors a strengthened Tigers rotation that includes Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, and recent additions Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander. The Tigers signed Verlander, a former ace who helped lead the team to multiple World Series appearances, to a one-year, $13 million deal on Tuesday. Valdez also joined the club, bolstering the pitching staff amid injuries to prospects Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson, who were placed on the 60-day injured list.
The move highlights Detroit's efforts to build around Skubal as he enters his walk year, where he could command a significant contract in free agency. Last season, Skubal posted a 3.08 ERA across 137 big-league appearances, with a 135 ERA+ and a 5.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
