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Two of the best baseball has to offer on either side of the plate are Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal and the LA Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani. Skubal won the 2024 AL Cy Young and Ohtani won the 2024 NL MVP. Both are once again prime favorites in those respective categories in 2025.
Baseball fans enjoy watching a good hitter face a good pitcher. The moments get even more intense during the postseason when everything matters.
During his latest appearance on the "Hold the Ball" podcast, Skubal made his feelings known on facing elite hitters like Ohtani on the mound.
"I love it. I mean, I think this is what you dream of as a kid, right? Like, as much as I play the game, I’m also a fan of the game," Skubal said (24:54 onwards). "So, I love watching baseball, and I love watching the game’s best kind of go at it."
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Skubal candidly said that he'd prefer to face someone other than Shohei Ohtani in situations like bases loaded and no outs.
"Now, when I'm on the mound, do I want to face Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded and no outs? I’d probably rather face someone else to try and get something positive out of the situation," Skubal said.
But Tarik Skubal said it's in the best interest of the sport to see elite matchups like this more often. Even for himself, it's fun to be in such spots.
"But yeah, I mean, it’s always a ton of fun to compete against the game’s best," Skubal added. "And I think it brings the best out of everybody—you know, myself included, the guy in the box included, the guys standing behind me. I think that’s what’s so beautiful about baseball—or just sports in general.
"Then you get into the playoffs, and these moments start happening a lot, because it’s the game’s best going at it. That’s what makes the playoffs even better—every game is the game’s best going at it, and that’s always fun."
How has Tarik Skubal pitched against Shohei Ohtani?
Since the Tigers are in the American League and the Dodgers are in the National League, there have been only three games in which Tarik Skubal has pitched against Shohei Ohtani.
He has allowed one hit and has recorded a strikeout against Ohtani.
When it comes to postseason, the Tigers have to make it through the competitive AL field and reach the World Series to potentially face the Dodgers, who'll have to navigate their way in the NL to reappear in the World Series.
As for the current season, both are having a great year. Tarik Skubal has pitched to a 2.16 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 13 starts. Meanwhile, Ohtani has hit 23 home runs and swiped 11 bags while hitting to the tune of .293.
