"You can't do that on the road" - Tarik Skubal opens up on his mom's disapproval of expletive-laden celebration vs. Guardians in ALDS Game 2
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal delivered an outstanding performance in the 3-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Monday evening. However, the Tigers pitcher was admonished by his mother, as well as on social media, for his over-exuberant celebrations after coming out on top in a clutch situation.
Tarik Skubal enjoyed another dominant postseason outing, pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just three hits and racking up eight strikeouts. The hard-throwing left-hander had run into a bit of trouble in the fifth inning but got out of the jam with a crucial double play. Skubal raised his arms as he came off the mound before yelling "Shut the f**k up" to the hostile home crowd.
The mother of the Tigers pitcher wasn't pleased with his behavior, though, and scolded her son while responding to a tweet posted by Pitching Ninja. Laura Skubal used her son's middle name to make her point.
On Wednesday, Tarik Skubal, on the 'Costa and Jansen with Heather' radio show on 97.1 The Ticket, revealed that his mother had also sent a text message reprimanding him for his foul-mouthed celebration on the field.
"She texted me after the game, 'Love you,' whatever, but she was saying the same thing, she's like, 'You can't do that on the road,' " Skubal said. "And I'm like, 'I know, Mom, I know. I don't what got into me.'"
"That was really funny."
"Tarik Daniel is when I was in trouble growing up, so I haven't got that in a while, probably since high school is the last time I was really in trouble with my mom," he added.
Tarik Skubal is the overwhelming favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award this year. The Tigers pitcher recorded a Triple Crown after ending the regular season with an 18-4 record with a 2.29 ERA and 228 strikeouts.
"I wish I would have just kept it within our team": Tarik Skubal
Following his sparkling performance on Tuesday, Tarik Skubal has posted 13 scoreless innings with 14 strikeouts, giving up just seven hits and one walk through his first couple of starts in the postseason.
In the process, he became the sixth pitcher in MLB history to post at least six shutout innings at the start of their postseason career. The Tigers leveled the series on the back of his stellar outing, but Skubal expressed regret for his on-field outburst.
"I guess I wish I would have just kept it within our team and our guys and not really interact with the fans, just because it becomes a slippery slope and some bad things can happen, especially if fans are drunk, whatever, (stuff) happens," Skubal said.
"I should probably just keep that within our team going forward, but it was fun. Obviously, I fed off of it."
The Tigers posted a 3-0 win over the Guardians at Comerica Park on Wednesday evening to take a 2-1 lead in the ALDS. Tarik Skubal won't take the mound again in this series unless it moves to Game 5.