Detroit Tigers’ ace pitcher Tarik Skubal, who currently leads the American League Cy Young Award race, has found a meaningful way to stay centered throughout the season with his Tarik Skubal pregame ritual with son. Before each home game, Skubal bonds with his eldest child, Kasen, by playing catch together, a routine that helps him maintain focus and perspective amid the pressures of competing at an elite level.
Skubal shared that his wife, Jessica, often brings Kasen down to the bullpen to meet him before games. Now that Kasen is older, he actively participates by catching and throwing the ball back, adding a joyful element to the ritual that reminds Skubal to enjoy baseball beyond just the competition.
“My wife would always bring him down to the bullpen before pregame,” Skubal said. “Now that he’s a little bit older, he’ll catch it and throw it, and I think it’s fun. Sometimes baseball doesn’t feel like a game you play, but when you see your son pregame, it reminds you just to calm down and enjoy it.”
—Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers pitcher
Family Presence Offers Perspective on the Field
Jessica supports the family by watching their boys from the stands during Tigers’ home games at Comerica Park, ensuring Tarik can see his loved ones even during competitive moments. Skubal described how this routine brings balance to his life and improves his mental outlook regardless of how well or poorly he performs on the mound.
“My son doesn’t know any different. If I go out there and pitch 12 strikes, or when I go out there and don’t pitch well. It kind of puts life in perspective a little bit.
—Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers pitcher
“Just makes it a lot more special. All the work that you put in and all the time that you put in, to go out there and play and be able to perform in front of your family, I think it makes all that stuff that you put in behind the scenes worth it.”
—Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers pitcher
Tarik and Jessica Skubal expanded their family recently, welcoming Kasen in October 2023 and adding a second son, Klay, earlier this season, grounding the star pitcher even further in his personal life.
Special Cleats Celebrate His Sons During Games
Tarik Skubal continues to honor his family beyond his pregame ritual, carrying their presence with him even in away games. During a recent start against the Minnesota Twins, he wore custom-designed Scooby Doo cleats that bore the names and birth dates of his sons, Kasen and Klay, symbolizing the emotional support that fuels his performance.
Whether on the mound at Comerica Park or facing the Twins on the road, these gestures underscore how deeply Skubal’s role as a father shapes his approach to baseball and competition.
Impact of Family Centered Ritual on Skubal’s Cy Young Campaign
Skubal’s blend of passionate pitching and heartfelt family connection makes his pursuit of back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards especially compelling. The pregame ritual with Kasen provides a calming influence that helps him manage the excitement and intensity of the season, reminding him what truly matters beyond statistics and accolades.
As the Detroit Tigers’ All-Star continues to build on his success, his ritual and family values will likely remain a key source of strength, driving him through the rest of the season and shaping his legacy both on and off the field.