Tarik Skubal accepts the 2024 AL Cy Young Award.and decided to…….

Detroit Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal has been the 2024 AL Cy Young award winner for months. On Saturday night in New York, he finally got to collect it. The Baseball Writers Association of America presented the award at the 100th Centennial New York Baseball Writers’ dinner. As you might expect, the southpaw looked less comfortable giving an acceptance speech in a tuxedo that he does on the mound with 40,000 opposing fans screaming at him, but he he did a nice job. Lately he’s been getting plenty of practice in media relations.

Skubal sounded all the right notes, thanking ownership, the front office, and in particular his coaches and teammates. He rightly singled out special attention for his wife, Jessica, and their young son. He also pointedly thanked his catcher, Jake Rogers, for both for his role behind the plate and for a close relationship that allows Rogers to push the right buttons for him when the lefty briefly gets off track. Overall, nice speech, Skoobs.

Beyond the award, Skubal has been making the rounds this week in the media. He appeared on MLB Network, did promotional work for the league, and even visited young players at a few schools. A week ago, he was in town in Detroit, taking in the Lions unfortunate loss as well as a Red Wings game before heading to East Lansing to visit Tom Izzo and his Spartans. All in a week’s work for a player who became one of the more notable faces in major league baseball and in Detroit sports this season, and continues to show his appreciation for Michigan and his fellow pro athletes playing for Detroit teams.

Here’s Skubal’s acceptance speech. A.J. Hinch presented the award, and their segment begins at 1:46:00. Scott Harris, Jeff Greenberg, and Chris Fetter were also in attendance.