Tarik Skubal's stint with Team USA at the World Baseball Classic will be short-lived. 

The Detroit Tigers ace told reporters Monday that he'll make one WBC start and then be done with the tournament. It sounds like the start will come in pool play, rather than a potential appearance the knockout round. 

Skubal confirmed the plan from spring training in Florida and explained that he's prioritizing getting ready for Detroit's season after his start. 

"I'm trying to do both things, trying to pitch for Team USA but I understand the need to be here with these guys and get ready for the season," Skubal said, per The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen. "I think it’s kind of the best of both worlds in that aspect, and I’m grateful they took me in that capacity."

Skubal also said that he'd lobby the Tigers to rejoin Team USA as a spectator if it makes the finals, indicating that his start will come sometime early in pool play. 

"If they go to the finals, I think I'm going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys," he added.

The WBC finals will be played in Miami, not far from Detroit's spring training home of Lakeland in central Florida.

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The reigning two-time AL Cy Young winner, Skubal's absence after his planned start will leave USA without arguably its top pitcher for the remainder of the tournament. USA has a deep roster of nine starting pitchers to choose from, including reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes, two-time All-Star Logan Webb and All-Star Joe Ryan.

The upgrade of its pitching staff from the previous WBC was expected to give USA a leg up in the tournament after it lost to Japan on the final at-bat of the championship game in 2023. Skubal's limited availability is a blow to those plans and will leave USA without one of its top options on the mound in high-leverage elimination games if it advances beyond pool play.

The decision appears to be a compromise from the Tigers allowing Skubal to pitch for Team USA while limiting his exposure to wear and tear and injury risk. The Tigers are coming off a season in which they bounced back from a regular-season collapse that allowed the Cleveland Guardians to win the AL Central to clinch a wild-card berth and beat the Guardians in the wild-card round. The Tiger lost to the Seattle Mariners in the divisional round of the playoffs. 

Detroit's projected to contend for the AL Central title in 2026, and Skubal's health and performance is a big part of those plans. 

After exhibitions against the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies, Team USA will begin pool play at the WBC against Brazil on March 6. The WBC finals are scheduled for March 17. MLB's full Opening Day slate including Detroit's season opener against the San Diego Padres is scheduled for March 26. 

For decades, Pat Riley has been the architect of the Miami Het.

But he's a Los Angeles Lakers legend whose likeness was set in perpetuity Sunday with a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena. 

The Lakers unveiled the statue prior to Sunday's home game against the rival Boston Celtics. It fittingly stands between statues of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with whom Riley won four NBA championships as the head coach of the "Showtime" Lakers.

With a host of Lakers icons watching, the curtain was lifted, and Riley's statue emerged from a flurry of purple and gold confetti. The statue is positioned with Riley holding up his right hand in a fist, his trademark signal for Johnson to deliver a pass to Abdul-Jabbar for a sky hook.

An inscription on the base of the statue features a quote that Riley attributed to his father, Leon Riley:

“There will come a time when you are challenged, and when that time comes, you must plant your feet. You must stand firm. You must make a point. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. When that time comes, you do it.”

Lakers legends among icons to honor Riley

Riley was among the "Showtime" Lakers royalty present for the unveiling alongside Johnson, Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, A.C. Green, Bob McAdoo, Kurt Rambis, Norm Nixon and Byron Scott.

Dwyane Wade, who won three NBA championships under Riley's leadership with the Heat, was also in attendance. As was notable "Showtime"-era Lakers fan Michael Douglas, who gave a speech about his friendship with Riley. 

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss, whose father, Jerry Buss, hired Riley, hosted the ceremony.

“Even though Pat hasn't worked here for more than three decades, those remain Laker principles in large part because of him," Buss said." That's why it was so important to us to recognize Pat with this statue right here in the heart of downtown L.A.”

When the statue was unveiled, Riley smiled and offered a thumbs up in approval.

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The celebration of Riley continued at halftime of Sunday's game with Johnson emceeing a midcourt ceremony in front of a sold-out crowd. 

"I was born to be a Laker in 1970 at the Forum with these guys right here," Riley said when Johnson handed him the mic, while pointing to the aforementioned former Lakers in the building who were lined up behind him at halfcourt. 

The man known for as much for his fashion sense as his basketball acumen, then had jokes.

"And of all of them, there's only one who has shown me true respect today, and that's James Worthy, who has a tie on," Riley continued. "Everybody's got a little too casual — $2,000 fine for everybody."

To be fair to Jamaal Wilkes, Wilkes also had a tie on.

Riley, who wore many hats with the Lakers including player and broadcaster before taking over as head coach, then reflected on his time with the team.

"I had the opportunity to meet, to be with, to play with to coach to broadcast, to be a traveling secretary and to be a head coach of this team. And it's the greatest honor I've ever had."