Return of Mr. Cy Young

Tarik Skubal taking time to connect with his Seattle University family when his Detroit Tigers are in town to play the Seattle Mariners isn’t new. He’s made it an annual ritual to at least drop by a Redhawks baseball practice during his team’s once-a-season trip to T-Mobile Park.

What made this year’s visit a bit different is that Skubal is now not just Tarik Skubal, 2018 Seattle University alum and major league pitcher, he is Tarik Skubal, American League Cy Young Award winner.

Tarik Skubal with SU's baseball team.

Skubal, a Seattle University Athletics Hall of Famer, made his first trip to Seattle—and the only one this season—since being named the AL’s top pitcher when the Tigers took on the Mariners March 31–April 2. And as always, he took time to reconnect with his alma mater. SU’s all-time leader in wins, opponents’ batting average and earned run average for a starting pitcher, Skubal has consistently made himself available both to the Redhawk baseball program and the university.

The visit started at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue, SU’s home field and where Skubal first began to really emerge as a potential professional prospect. Posing for pictures with the Redhawks baseball team, Skubal also observed some of the pitchers throwing in the bullpen and provided some tips and advice about both the physical and mental side of preparation. Not too many programs get the benefit of hearing from the pitcher who led his league in wins, ERA and strikeouts last season.

The Cy Young Award-winning pitcher spends time with SU baseball players.

Prior to his team’s game on April 1, Skubal made his way—in full uniform—up to the T-Mobile Park third deck where Seattle University hosted a special event in his honor. Skubal posed for pictures with about 80 people in attendance, signed autographs and Vice President for Athletics Shaney Fink presented Skubal with a proclamation from the SU Board of Trustees honoring his career and legacy at the university.

Skubal pitched against the Mariners on April 2 and while it didn’t go quite how he would’ve liked—despite pitching well he lost 3–2—the homecoming was a fantastic occasion for the university to celebrate his success and for Skubal to give back to the program and school that was the only NCAA Division I university to offer him a scholarship.

Vice President for Athletics Shaney Fink presents Tarik Skubal with a proclamation from the SU Board of Trustees honoring his career and legacy at the university.

For more on Skubal’s return to Seattle and the university’s role in his road to stardom, check out coverage in the Detroit Free Press, Seattle Times, Sports Illustrated and The Detroit Tigers.