KINGMAN – Much of Kingman will enjoy a COVID-19 pause and band together to cheer for a local who will make his Major League baseball debut in the Windy City Tuesday. 23-year-old Tarik Skubal has been called up by the Detroit Tigers and is scheduled to pitch against the White Sox in Chicago.
The 6’3, 215 pound left handed flame thrower rebounded from Tommy John surgery in 2018 and he beat back the coronavirus a couple of weeks ago to achieve his dream of making the show. He said team officials informed him of his promotion Saturday.
“It was very cool. Very exciting,” Skubal said of learning about his call up. “The heart was racing.”
Tarik’s mother, Laura Skubal, a development services employee with Mohave County, choked back tears of joy Monday.
“For Tarik to get to this point is awesome. He’s been very focused. He’s been able to channel all of this into this moment,” Skubal said. “I wish my dad and my grandfather could be here to watch this. Grandpa was (Yankee manager) Billy Martin’s letter carrier. Some of my best memories are baseball. I could go on and on with stories of my love for the game.”
Tarik’s father works at Hualapai Elementary School where virtual classes began Monday. “I wasn’t going to miss the first day of school, but I’m also not going to miss my son’s debut,” Russ Skubal said.
Several members of the Skubal family were flying to Chicago overnight. Pandemic protection will keep them out of the ballpark, but they’ll be watching and cheering somewhere, while hoping to be allowed to see Tarik after the game.
Russ Skubal said he and another son expressed confidence and encouragement when they spoke to Tarik over the weekend.
“We both just said the same thing. Dude don’t even worry. You’ve put in the time. You’ve put in the work. You’ve put in the effort,” Tarik’s father said. “You deserve this. Just go out and enjoy the process. It’s all about learning. No one expects you to be perfect. Just enjoy the process of learning and growing and getting better.”
Skubal told baseball beat writers during a press conference that he’s feeling strong after recovering from the virus. He said he threw 46 pitches his last outing and he has not yet been told if he’ll be on a pitch or innings limit.
The White Sox have a talented group of young hitters, but Skubal doesn’t believe he’s faced any of them before. Featuring a 97 mile per hour fastball, Skubal said he has developed effective slider and curve pitches to keep hitters off balance.
“It’s been fun to play a lot of baseball and learn and develop. To play baseball everyday is really fun,” Skubal said. “We had classes in college of course but once you get to play professional baseball and being with the guys and traveling and getting in the clubhouse and having those close relationships. It’s all been very cool.”
Laura noted youth coach Bill McCord and many others who’ve helped and supported her son.
“Kingman has been so great for Tarik. We’re so blessed because people really do care and he does care about Kingman too. This is not just a Tarik or a Skubal thing,” she said. “It’s how awesome that everybody has cheered and wished him well and played a major influence in his life. I am so grateful as a mom.”
- Dave Hawkins
