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By Shaun McAvoy
Contributing Sports Writer
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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been facing harsh criticism after electing to make only one start during the World Baseball Classic.
Skubal has been blasted as a "quitter" by some fans for his decision to limit his involvement with the WBC, but the 29-year-old is heading into a contract year with the potential to sign one of the largest contracts for a pitcher in MLB history.
The lefty ace explained that the timing of the WBC is one of the main reasons he will only be making one start, along with his focus being on winning a World Series with the Tigers.
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“That’s where my focus is, trying to win a World Series for the city of Detroit, the team that drafted me in 2018," Skubal said, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "You can kind of see that a World Series is attainable with the additions that we've made. And that's all you can ask for, is to play on a team with World Series aspirations year in and year out. So it’s going to be a ton of fun this year.
"The guys have been cool about it, but I mean publicly, it’s a little bit different perception. Hopefully they get this tournament right to where it can be kind of a mid-season thing. That’s kind of the only knock I got on it. It’s just the timing for starting pitching doesn't really work."
Though Skubal is set only to make one start, the two-time Cy Young Award winner left the door open about pitching again in the WBC, joking that other players have already been hoping he changes his mind.
“Those (conversations) have already started," Skubal told Nightengale. “So, we'll see. I need to get back to camp and get back to my routine, but I want to go to Miami and just be at those games. … I might just be there and be a cheerleader."
Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in baseball. Though he'd love to compete in the entire tournament with the rest of Team USA, the risk of injury and not being fully prepared for the regular season ahead of his impending free agency are drawing his focus elsewhere.
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