Tarik Skubal's breakthrough regular season is over and it's going to earn him the A.L. Cy Young Award. But for him, the biggest reward is ahead.

DETROIT -- When the Detroit Tigers clinched a berth in the playoffs on Friday night, it also guaranteed something else: Ace left-hander Tarik Skubal will start Game 1 of the Wild Series on Tuesday. The Tigers still don’t know who they’ll play in the first round of the playoffs, but there’s no doubt about who will be on the mound.

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal spoke to our Brad Galli after the team clinched its first playoff spot since 2014 on Friday.

With everything at stake, Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal struck out Salvador Pérez swinging to strand two runners and complete his 30th start.

The Detroit Tigers kept the good times rolling on Tuesday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays with their star Tarik Skubal leading the way on the mound. The ace continued his dominance, cutting through the Rays lineup like a hot knife through butter.

Left-hander Tarik Skubal will pitch Sunday against the Chicago White Sox if the Detroit Tigers need a win to clinch a spot in the postseason.

Tarik Skubal discusses his motivation to perform for his teammates after the Tigers clinch a playoff berth with a win over the White Sox

Their opponent is yet to be determined, but it almost doesn’t matter with Skubal on the mound. They’ll have the advantage in Game 1 no matter what.

The Detroit Tigers earned a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays to inch closer to clinching a spot in the American League wild-card race, thanks to Pérez's contact skills at the plate and left-hander Tarik Skubal's dominance on the mound.