Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal walked into the clubhouse and placed a Louis Vuitton box in the locker that belongs to right-hander Troy Melton .

Inside the box?

A $3,000 backpack.

It was a veteran taking care of a rookie.

The Louis Vuitton transaction occurred Friday, Aug. 9, just a few hours before Skubal — the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner — led the Tigers into the first of three games in the series against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park. Expert MLB daily picks: Unique MLB betting insights only at USA TODAY

"It was the spur of the moment," said Skubal, who has pitched for the Tigers since 2020. "It wasn't planned. I saw the backpack he was wearing, and I wasn't a fan of it, so I told him he had until the end of the day to pick one out, and

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