Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is scheduled to take the mound against the Baltimore Orioles, in what could be his final start with the team before the Major League Baseball trade deadline. Skubal, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, enters the game with a 7-5 record, a 2.70 earned run average (ERA), and a 0.92 walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP).
Skubal's performance has been strong this season, despite a recent injury that caused him to miss some time. He has been particularly dominant in July, posting a 1.48 ERA for the month. However, his home ERA of 3.46 is higher than his road ERA. The Tigers, currently six games under .500, are reportedly considering trading Skubal, who is nearing free agency. Reports suggest contract talks may be far apart, making a trade a possibility to avoid losing him for nothing.
Baltimore's starting pitcher for the contest is Trevor Rogers, who has demonstrated recent improvement. Rogers' record stands at 6-7 with a 4.17 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. He has performed better on the road with a 3.72 ERA and has been effective over the past two months, allowing just 11 earned runs in 55 innings. Tigers hitters have batted .270 against Rogers in 37 at-bats.
The Orioles have also faced challenges this season, with a team batting average of .237 and a pitching staff ERA of 4.21. Despite additions like Pete Alonso, the team's .500 record places them in a position where they could be sellers at the trade deadline.
A squirrel briefly disrupted play during Monday night's game between the Orioles and Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, running onto the field and causing a stir among the grounds crew and an outfielder.