Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal sits in the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
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Cy Young Award favorites Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates are among the nominees for the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award.
The Roberto Clemente Award annually recognizes the player who represents baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
Each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams has a nominee for the award, presented by Capital One, and the winner will be honored during the World Series. MLB observes Roberto Clemente Day each Sept. 15 to celebrate the late Hall of Famer’s humanitarian legacy.
Skenes contributes to the Gary Sinise Foundation for every strikeout he records. The right-hander has 203 strikeouts this season to go with a 10-9 record and 1.92 ERA.
Skubal is active with Alternatives for Girls, an organization that seeks to empower homeless and at-risk young women by providing interventions and support. He has a 13-5 record with a 2.26 ERA for the Tigers, who lead the American League Central.
Also among the nominees are the Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, and the New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor.
Witt is MLB’s first-ever PLAY BALL ambassador, leading national efforts to grow youth engagement with baseball. He has also hosted youth baseball clinics for over 300 youth in the Kansas City area in support of ALS advocacy.
Betts works with Make-A-Wish, UCLA healthy patients, and Los Angeles-area students. He also helped raise over $300,000 for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires.
Lindor is involved in various charitable initiatives and mentorship, including the annual distribution of backpacks and school supplies to students in Queens.
Skenes and Witt are among a group of 18 first-time nominees that include the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Corbin Carroll, Athletics’ Lawrence Butler, Atlanta Braves’ Spencer Strider, Baltimore Orioles’ Jordan Westburg, Chicago White Sox’s Mike Tauchman, Cleveland Guardians’ Bo Naylor, Houston Astros’ Josh Hader, Los Angeles Angels’ Logan O’Hoppe, Miami Marlins’ Griffin Conine, Milwaukee Brewers’ Sal Frelick, New York Yankees’ Carlos Rodon, San Francisco Giants’ Ryan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, Tampa Bay Rays’ Pete Fairbanks, Toronto Blue Jays’ Jose Berrios and Washington Nationals’ Trevor Williams.
Other nominees include the Boston Red Sox’s Liam Hendriks, Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker, Cincinnati Reds’ Brent Suter, Colorado Rockies’ Kyle Freeland, Minnesota Twins’ Pablo Lopez, Philadelphia Phillies’ Aaron Nola, San Diego Padres’ Joe Musgrove, Seattle Mariners’ J.P. Crawford, and Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnperrotto/2025/09/15/aces-tarik-skubal-paul-skenes-among-finalists-for-clemente-award/
