Tarik Skubal racked up a season-high 10 strikeouts against Boston last month. The Red Sox have the misfortune of facing the two-time Cy Young Award winner in the opener of a three-game series in Detroit on Monday night.
Skubal held the Red Sox to one run and four hits in six innings on April 18 while recording his most recent victory. Skubal (3-2, 2.70 ERA) deserved a better fate in his last outing when he gave up just two runs in seven innings at Atlanta. The Braves pulled out a 4-3 win when Tigers closer Kenley Jansen gave up a walk-off home run.
In the seventh, Skubal gave his team a big scare when he took off his glove and rubbed his forearm after throwing a fastball. Following a mound visit by manager A.J. Hinch and a trainer, Skubal remained in the game and struck out the side.
“I don’t really know how to explain it,” Skubal said. “I just needed a little bit of time. Whatever happened, I just needed a little bit of time and the symptoms I experienced on that one throw went away. Obviously, I felt better after that.”
There were no lingering effects since that start.
“It’s all systems go for tomorrow,” Hinch said on Sunday.
Both runs Skubal allowed last week came in the first inning.
“It looked like he got better as the game went on,” Hinch said. “It looked like his stuff got a little better and his execution got a little better and we really played good defense. It’s what you need to do behind Tarik. (Atlanta) is a high-contact team and you’ve got to make plays and we did. He put us in a position to win.”
Skubal is 3-2 with a 4.33 ERA in six career starts against the Red Sox.
Left-hander Payton Tolle (0-1, 3.38 ERA) will be making his third start of the season for Boston. The 23-year-old appeared in seven games last season.
Tolle sparkled in his season debut on April 23, holding the New York Yankees to one run in six innings while piling up 11 strikeouts. He wound up with a no-decision.
In his second start, Tolle gave up three runs in 4 2/3 innings to Toronto on Tuesday. He had control problems in that contest, issuing four walks.
“Just didn’t feel myself,” Tolle said. “Really thought I was pressing a little too hard on myself. Even (fellow starting pitcher) Connelly (Early) came in here and said, ‘Hey, you look like you’re beating yourself up.’ So, definitely felt like I got in my own way (Tuesday).”
Tolle relied heavily on fastballs against the Blue Jays and his velocity dropped toward the end of his outing.
“It wasn’t like he was soft-tossing, but it was something we were aware of going into the game,” interim manager Chad Tracy said.
Tolle pitched an inning of scoreless relief against the Tigers last season.
The reeling Red Sox have lost four of their last five games. Boston left 13 runners on base in a 3-1, 10-inning loss to Houston at home Sunday.
Detroit has won all five of its home series. It took two of three from Texas this weekend.
–Field Level Media
