LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tarik Skubal spent Opening Day with the Tigers last year as an observer, still rehabbing from left elbow flexor tendon surgery. He¡¯ll take in Opening Day this year from the mound.

Manager A.J. Hinch announced Friday that Skubal will be the starter when the Tigers open their season March 28 at the White Sox. It¡¯ll be the left-hander¡¯s first Opening Day assignment.

Hinch told the team in its daily morning meeting as a reminder that it plays regular-season games later this month. Skubal said the honor left his speechless when teammates called on him to make a speech.

¡°He¡¯s earned this one,¡± Hinch said prior to the Tigers' 4-2 win over the Phillies on Friday. ¡°One, he¡¯s really talented. Two, his preparation is incredible, and I¡¯ve seen it grow from good to great. His intensity, his presence, how he interacts with his teammates. It¡¯s a great honor, and it¡¯s an honor for me to be able to tell him. It¡¯ll be his first of hopefully many -- you can¡¯t take them for granted -- but I think everything about his last 12 months leading up to today has earned him the opportunity to be the first one out of the gate.¡±

Those last 12 months began with rehab, culminated in a dominant second half, then continued with preparation to take another step forward this year. Skubal remained with the team through most of his rehab work before going on a Minor League assignment. He rejoined the Tigers' rotation on July 4 with four hitless innings and six strikeouts against the A¡¯s, then tossed scoreless performances in three of his first four outings.

¡°Last year [at this time] I was out on the back field every single day playing catch to 60 feet, 75 feet, going down a long road of a lot of throwing. Getting in games wasn¡¯t even in my brain yet,¡± Skubal said. ¡°This year, being an Opening Day starter, that¡¯s pretty special. That¡¯s something you¡¯re going to cherish the rest of your life. It¡¯s pretty cool.¡±

Skubal had some up-and-down outings along the way -- he allowed seven runs in Kansas City on July 18 -- but he finished with a flourish, allowing a lone run on nine hits over 23 innings with two walks and 36 strikeouts over his final four starts. He won American League Pitcher of the Month honors for September.

Skubal will be the Tigers' first Opening Day starter who was drafted by the club since Justin Verlander in 2017. Detroit drafted Skubal in the ninth round in 2018, the same Draft in which it selected Casey Mize first overall. Mize is on the same track that Skubal was last summer, having returned to game action this week after undergoing Tommy John and back surgeries in 2022. He hopes to join Skubal in the rotation to begin the season.

Skubal now fronts that rotation, but he wants no part of an ace label.

¡°I don¡¯t really care about labels, to be honest,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m more focused on winning ballgames. Being the starter in Game 1 of the playoffs is kind of a little bit more special. That¡¯s kinda where I¡¯m at. ¡­

¡°Labels are cool. I think that¡¯s your guys¡¯ job to attach guys with that. You¡¯re not going to hear guys refer to each other in the clubhouse as the ace. It just doesn¡¯t happen. My name¡¯s Skoob and that¡¯s what I go by.¡±