Detroit City Wire

Major League Baseball announced that Tarik Skubal has been named the Detroit Tigers’ 2024 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award presented by Capital One, regarded as baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for Major Leaguers.

The Roberto Clemente Award recognizes a Major League player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy, and positive contributions both on and off the field. Each MLB Club nominates one player annually to be considered for this league-wide award in tribute to Clemente’s achievements and character.

This year, Skubal and his wife, Jessica, donated generously to Alternatives for Girls, an organization that empowers homeless and at-risk young women by providing critical interventions and support. Their donation focuses on aiding domestic violence survivors in Metro Detroit through Alternatives for Girls’ new housing unit, Dr. Maya Angelou Village.

Dr. Maya Angelou Village is a 100 percent affordable housing development created by Alternatives for Girls and Full Circle Communities to serve individuals and families in Metro Detroit. The development includes 45 units, with 23 dedicated solely to Alternatives for Girls. The donation from Skubal and his wife covers essential household supplies for individuals and families moving into these units.

In addition to supporting Alternatives for Girls, Skubal has made an unrestricted donation to the Tigers Foundation. Since its inception in 2005, the foundation has awarded over $26 million in grants, Tigers tickets, and college scholarships to local Metro Detroit residents. Skubal has also participated in the Tigers Autograph for a Cause program since 2021. Proceeds from his Autograph for a Cause cards benefit the Detroit Tigers Foundation and the Little League program in his hometown of Kingman, AZ.

Sunday, September 15th marks Roberto Clemente Day presented by Capital One. Established by Major League Baseball to honor Clemente’s legacy as a humanitarian, this day formally acknowledges Club nominees of the Roberto Clemente Award. The Roberto Clemente Day logo will appear on bases and official dugout lineup cards across all MLB ballparks. A customized tribute video will be shown on MLB Network, MLB.com, MLB.tv, Club sites, and MLB Social Media Platforms.

The league-wide winner of the Roberto Clemente Award will be honored at the 2024 World Series following selection by a blue-ribbon panel comprising representatives from the Commissioner’s Office, Capital One, MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS), MLB.com, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as Roberto’s children Enrique Luis and Roberto Clemente Jr. Fans can vote for their favorite nominee via MLBTogether.com/clementeaward until Sunday September 29th with the fan vote counting as one among those cast by the panel.

The recognition of Major League players' philanthropic work began in 1971 as the “Commissioner’s Award.” It was renamed “Roberto Clemente Award” in 1973 following Clemente's passing while delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua on December 31st 1972.