Tarik Skubal made his first-ever start tonight in the WBC against Great Britain, but his outing lasted only three innings. But for the Tigers manager, AJ Hinch, concerns lie elsewhere. While Skubal’s first WBC start lasted only for 3 innings, the Tigers know how risky it could have been with the reigning Cy Young winner.

So, just when fans are wondering if Skubal would take the mound again later in the WBC, Hinch made it pretty clear what the Tigers are hoping for. “I’m FULLY expecting Tarik to be back (in Tigers camp). ” Hinch sets the record straight.

Tarik Skubal joined Team USA’s WBC roster with some strict limitations. Reportedly, Team USA’s coaching staff could only use him in a very controlled way. Result? His start against Great Britain lasted just three innings, and the start got off to a rough note when Nate Eaton launched the very first pitch he saw for a homer.

But after that moment, Skubal really locked in. He didn’t allow another run and racked up five strikeouts, showing just how dominant he can be.

Still, for the Tigers manager, the bigger picture matters more than a WBC appearance. Detroit’s priority is getting its ace back healthy and ready for the MLB season. And thus, before the tournament even began, Skubal, the Tigers, and Team USA had an understanding that he wouldn’t push himself too hard.

While pitchers in the group stage can throw up to 65 pitches, Skubal reportedly went in with a stricter cap of 55 as part of his ongoing preparation for the regular season. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa stuck to that plan, and with that outing complete, Skubal’s originally planned single appearance in the WBC is essentially wrapped up.

But the question now is whether that’s truly the end of it. While Hinch is clearly expecting Skubal back with the Tigers without any more delays, Skubal himself didn’t completely shut the door on another start. When FOX broadcaster Ken Rosenthal asked him after the game if he’d be open to pitching again, Skubal kept things vague.

“That’s a tough question right now. I probably won’t answer that one right now.”

It was a diplomatic answer, sure, but it’s probably not the kind of response Hinch would love to hear. So, while Team USA rolled to a convincing 9–1 win over Great Britain, a lot of the buzz afterward was actually about Skubal’s availability moving forward.

Detroit’s qualifying offer would determine Tarik Skubal’s WBC call

We’ve already seen how tense things got between Tarik Skubal and the Tigers during their arbitration battle. That process kept him under contract through 2026, but it also leaves a pretty big question hanging over what comes next. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “there is no offer, and there won’t be an offer until the end of the season.”

So, that context might explain why Skubal was so noncommittal when asked about making another WBC start.

Let’s now compare the situation to Cody Bellinger. Bellinger chose to skip the WBC entirely, largely because he just signed a massive five-year deal with the Yankees and wanted to stay fully focused on the MLB season. That kind of long-term security changes how players approach these decisions.

So if the Tigers’ front office hopes Skubal will take a similar approach moving forward, they’ll probably have to give him a reason to. That means putting a contract offer on the table that’s simply too good to pass up.

Hinch might be focused on getting his ace back from the WBC as soon as possible. But for Tigers fans, the bigger concern might be the long-term picture. What happens if Tarik Skubal decides to move on after the 2026 season?