Pirates-Tigers rainout could set stage for Cy Young showdown every MLB fan wants

As southeastern Michigan braces for heavy storms followed by a scorching heatwave, a different kind of storm could be brewing at Comerica Park.

Though an official announcement has yet to be made, Jeff Riger of 97.1 The Ticket posted on X Tuesday evening that the "general consensus" seemed to be that Wednesday's game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers would be postponed due to severe weather forecasted in Detroit.

Riger then posed a question sure to make baseball fans everywhere giddy: If Wednesday's game were to be postponed and played as a doubleheader on Thursday, would one of the games feature an epic pitching matchup between the two current Cy Young frontrunners in Detroit's Tarik Skubal and Pittsburgh's Paul Skenes?

Pirates-Tigers rainout could set stage for Cy Young showdown between Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes

Wednesday's pitching matchup is currently set to be Skubal vs. Pirates southpaw Andrew Heaney. Thursday's matchup is supposed to be Skenes vs. "TBD." So, you're saying there's a chance...

Skubal has been nothing short of dominant for the Tigers this year and appears poised to win the American League Cy Young Award for a second consecutive season. Through his first 14 starts, the left-hander boasts a 1.99 ERA with 111 strikeouts and just nine walks in 90 1/3 innings. He’s surrendered one or zero runs in nine of those starts.

Skenes, for his part, has lived up to the lofty expectations that preceded him as the 2024 National League Rookie of the Year. The 23-year-old has a 1.78 ERA, which ranks second in the NL, and he leads the league with a 0.85 WHIP. He leads the NL with 96 innings pitched while ranking fifth with 97 strikeouts.

Skenes' 4-6 record is merely a testament to the lack of run support he receives from his teammates. After placing third in the NL Cy Young race as a rookie last season, he looks destined to run away with it in year two.

Now, realistically – even if Wednesday's game is postponed – a Skubal vs. Skenes matchup probably won't happen. The Tigers, who earned a commanding 7-3 win over the Pirates in Tuesday's series opener, want to give themselves the best chance to win the series. Admittedly, a Skubal-Skenes matchup hurts those chances.

It's still a possibility that the Tigers and Pirates give fans a dream pitching matchup, though. And if they do, Detroit-area employers should prepare for a large number of their employees to call in "sick" on Thursday afternoon.

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