The Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates have two things in common. They both play in the Central division (albeit AL and NL respectively), and they each have the best pitcher in the conference on their staff.
Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes are the best pitchers in baseball, and this past season, they led their respective leagues in ERA, and both won the Cy Young award.
They're great pitchers and are on the road to cementing their names in MLB history. But, as MLB.com's Sarah Langs notes, Skubal and Skenes could pair up for some incredible MLB history in 2026 that isn't that far-fetched to accomplish.
How Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes can make joint MLB history in 2026
"And by the way, with Skenes and Skubal both projected to lead their leagues in ERA again: we've never seen back-to-back winners in both leagues in the same season," Nags writes.
Leading the league in ERA is a big deal, as it's the simplest, straightforward barometer for how good a pitcher is pitching.
Skubal and Skenes led the league in ERA last season, with Skubal having a 2.21 ERA in 31 starts, which led the AL, while Skenes had a ridiculous 1.97 ERA in 32 starts, which was the best in all of baseball by a wide margin.
More: Tigers' Tarik Skubal gets $32 million contract update from ESPN's Jeff Passan
Langs shares that projections for both Skenes and Skubal will have both leading their respective leagues in ERA, which would be the first time in MLB history that the same two pitchers led the league in ERA in back-to-back seasons.
Having two pitchers perform this well so consistently is incredibly impressive, and it would not be a surprise to see both Skenes and Skubal have incredible 2026 seasons.
In fact, if they don't finish among the best in the league, it would be a major surprise. Skubal and Skenes are the best pitchers in baseball, and could very realistically make this history Langs identified.
More MLB news:
- Orioles predicted to make $180 million splash signing with best free-agent starter
- MLB Hot Stove tracker: Live updates on news, rumors, signings and trades for 2025 free agency
- Mets predicted to trade for 22-year old switch-pitcher from Mariners for slugger
- Red Sox linked to free agent reunion with member of 2018 World Series championship team
- Yankees predicted to trade 22-year old rising star to fill big need
- Giants predicted to trade for 29-year old All Star
- ESPN projects Pirates to sign $42 million home-run hitter to chase NL Central title