A rivalry between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians reached a peak as both Tarik Skubal and Emmanuel Clase were named finalists for the American League Cy Young Award. While Seth Lugo of the Royals is the third finalist, the competition has mainly been viewed as between Skubal and Clase. However, many believe Skubal deserves the award outright.
Skubal excelled in his first full season since 2021, achieving a league-leading 2.39 ERA and 2.49 FIP. He secured the AL Triple Crown by leading in wins (18), ERA (2.39), and strikeouts (228), just shy of a league-wide Triple Crown, as Atlanta’s Chris Sale finished with a 2.38 ERA.
Cleveland’s Clase was an exceptional closer in 2024, achieving a 0.61 ERA over 74 1/3 innings with 47 saves, making him the first reliever in the top three Cy Young voting since Francisco Rodríguez in 2008. His impact was substantial, yet Skubal’s role as a starter provides a broader comparison.
While Clase’s contributions were significant, Skubal’s role as a consistent starter on a surprising Tigers playoff team set him apart. Skubal’s strikeout rate of 30.3% surpassed Clase’s 24.4%, and Clase only pitched more than three outs in one of his 74 appearances. Skubal’s influence over a larger sample highlights his dominance.
With the Tigers ousted by Cleveland in the ALDS, tensions between the fanbases remain. However, many Tigers supporters are confident that Skubal will be named the AL Cy Young winner, solidifying their claim for bragging rights.
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