Decades ago, the must-see component surrounding a top-tier starting pitcher created a lot of buzz, but it is not nearly as common in today’s game. A smaller aura has correlated with lower workloads, which is why the MLB is thinking at changing the starting pitchers’ six-inning rule.

But the lackluster environment did not deter the New York Yankees (73-52) from their rubber match against the Detroit Tigers (61-64) on Sunday.

Even though he hasn’t played well all season long, American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal never fails to excite the crowd when he approaches the mound. The most captivating and intimidating slugger in baseball is Aaron Judge. Exciting things will happen if you put those two talents together.

True magic should happen when you combine that with the genuine energy that Williamsport, Pennsylvania, exudes at this time of year. A ideal matchup for the annual Little League Classic, the Tigers’ 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees in extra innings allowed aspiring big-leaguers to take up all the joy and star power.

Not only did those young athletes leave impressed, though. The best pitcher in the MLB gave the man who has been the best pitcher in 2024 a ton of praise.

According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, Aaron Judge praised Tarik Skubal as “the best pitcher in the game right now.” “He reached a different gear, a different level, when he returned at the conclusion of the previous year. Although playing against the best is enjoyable, facing a guy like that isn’t entertaining.

Tarik Skubal of the Tigers stops Aaron Judge’s scary bat.

On Sunday night, Skubal restrained Judge save from allowing a base hit in the fourth inning. In the first face-off, he struck him out. In the sixth, with two runners on and no outs, he got the overwhelming MVP favorite to ground out into a crucial double play. With six innings pitched, one earned run, five strikeouts, and four walks, the 27-year-old southpaw concluded.

Skubal did what he has done repeatedly this season—give Detroit a strong chance to win games—despite the control concerns. Perhaps inspired by the extra electricity in the air, his teammates made sure he wouldn’t lose.

Rookie third baseman Jace Jung, who the Tigers summoned up for his Major League debut on Friday, hit a game-tying single through the left side of the infield with the Tigers down to their final out and behind 1-0. In the bottom of the tenth inning, Parker Meadows secured the win for the team with a base hit of his own.

While October baseball in The Motor City won’t happen because of this thrilling moment, it might give this team a significant boost in confidence moving forward.

And it was all made possible by the outstanding work of Skubal. With 185 strikeouts and an MLB-best 2.49 ERA, he is currently 14-4. Judge’s argument is that since last September, the former ninth-round selection has gone on a rampage and is now a legitimate juggernaut.

Nonetheless, he has many reasons to be proud of himself. After their three duels, Skubal had his own favorable assessment of Judge.

Aaron Judge of the Yankees makes pitchers step up their game.

Skubal declared, “He’s the best player in the game,” according to Morosi. It’s always a lot of fun to take stock of where you are whenever you get the chance. Every time I see that matchup, I like it.

Tarik Skubal’s career year will undoubtedly be highlighted by his ability to pitch and his success against Aaron Judge, given that the Tigers are only 8½ games shy of a postseason spot. That’s how the opposition is affected by the Yankees center fielder.

Judge is headed for his most statistically significant season to date, having only two years ago immortalized himself in pinstripes lore with a season that saw him hit 62 home runs. With 44 home runs and 111 RBIs in 123 games, he has a slash line of.331/.463/.703, setting up New York for a good chance to win its first World Series since 2009.

But the 32-year-old needs to perform well in the postseason. For a player of his level and price, his pitiful.211 batting average in 44 postseason games is unacceptable, and it won’t be enough to propel the Yankees back into the major leagues.

After defeating the Yankees, Tigers’ Tarik Skubal shared a significant objective amid a Cy Young-caliber campaign.

Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers’ pitcher, had another outstanding game as the team prevailed in a thrilling 3-2 Little League Classic victory over the New York Yankees. The left-hander is having a fantastic season and is still a contender for the Cy Young Award in the American League.

After the game, Skubal stated that reaching 200 innings would be one of his objectives for 2024. He views this as a significant milestone because there are many elite starters in the major leagues who also toss that many innings in a season.

“While I don’t have an exact figure, several of the horses in the league throw about 200. That is something you will be extremely proud of as a starting pitcher. It would be amazing if I could reach that amount.

In Williamsport, Skubal pitched six innings, giving up only one run on three hits and five strikeouts. He performed a great job of containing a potent Yankees lineup.

AJ Hinch of the Tigers discusses Skubal’s workload.

There is no denying that the Tigers will miss out on the postseason. Detroit’s record of 61-64 is far better than it was a year ago, but they are still 8.5 games off of the Wild Card spot. As a result, the team must use caution while dealing with its best players, especially Skubal, who has never thrown more than 149.1 innings in a season. The southpaw’s current score is 155.1 and rising.

In order to be safe, skipper AJ Hinch stated after the game on Sunday that he probably won’t pitch again this season on a typical five-day recovery period:

“It’s critical that we monitor what he’s doing in addition to the fact that we are extremely aware, which we are,” Hinch stated. “This is a man who puts in a lot of work.” He’s placed himself in a very advantageous situation. He has a really amazing routine. He has adhered to it… In the back of his mind, we truly don’t want that. The things we have control over are under our control.

He keeps going out and dominating and keeps working hard in between starts. We’re providing him with more sleep. But the task is done by him. Players must be rewarded for their efforts by being given the opportunity to compete.

To be honest, the ball club would probably still keep an eye on his rest in between games even if the Tigers were in the running for the postseason. After all, Skubal is a crucial component of Detroit and should remain such for a long time.

Although the 27-year-old recorded a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts in 2023, this season has been formally dubbed “coming out party” for him. In 25 games, the former standout from Seattle University is 14-4 with an MLB-best 2.49 ERA. With 185 strikeouts, he leads the American League in strikeouts. It was also Skubal’s first-ever career All-Star selection.

Despite the fact that Skubal is now dealing with a number of injuries in his rotation, Hinch hinted that Skubal might not continue to throw every fifth day. Detroit must protect the wellbeing of its most valuable asset. You should probably go that route.