Tarik Skubal had a "pretty bad" performance in today's spring training, with attention already turning to the World Baseball Classic.

Today might have been an odd beginning for Tarik Skubal, as he approached the pitcher's mound to grab the ball for his initial pitch only to discover two balls were present.

“I told home plate umpire Laz Diaz, ‘I don’t know what’s going on over there, but I still can only throw one pitch,’” Skubal joked after the Tigers’ 4-4 tie with the Blue Jays. “The Automated Ball-Strike system changed, but we still only get one ball. Just kidding; I love Laz.”

After five pitches, Jonatan Clase hit a ground ball to third for an infield single, setting the tone. Skubal then shifted into competitive mode for his second spring training appearance. He finished the first inning by striking out Jesús Sánchez with back-to-back 99 mph fastballs. The second inning began with another leadoff single, this time a fly ball by Brandon Valenzuela that landed in front of center fielder Javier Báez. Both runners were later erased by double plays, but after walking Rafael Lantigua to start the third, Skubal paid the price by allowing consecutive doubles to Sean Keys and Clase.

Over three innings, Skubal allowed 4 hits and 2 runs, with 1 walk and 1 strikeout. He threw 28 strikes out of 44 pitches, generating only 4 swinging strikes and 5 called strikes.

“The execution was pretty bad today,” Skubal said. “But that’s okay. It’s part of the game. Just learn from it.”

This is part of the spring training adjustment process, but his next outing is unusual: Skubal is scheduled to start for Team USA against Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic this Saturday at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Most of his between-starts work will be done with the national team under the supervision of Team USA pitching coach Andy Pettitte.

Skubal is trying not to treat it as anything extraordinary, even though the international stage is larger than Joker Marchant Stadium.

“I don’t feel any more pressure or focus for this than for any other game,” Skubal said. “The game itself is always the same, no matter the stage or level. That’s something I’ve always taken pride in.”

The preparation is the same. But the experience itself is special.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Skubal said. “I’ll pitch with a tremendous sense of pride. Being in the same room with those guys will be special too. It’s like an All-Star Game, but you get to stay for a week. It’s the best players from the U.S. going against the best players from around the world.”

“It’ll be a lot of fun. Obviously, from a knowledge standpoint, there are a lot of left-handers there. Kershaw is a future Hall of Famer. Andy Pettitte is the pitching coach. I’ll have a chance to talk pitching with those guys—how they go about it, whether it’s scouting reports, preparation, or what they did later in their careers to help them pitch for so long, because those guys have had long careers. I’m sure I’ll take something positive from it, I just don’t know what yet.”