WHISPERS & ESPRESSO: Did Tarik Skubal Quietly Help His Ex Open a Coffee Shop in Downtown Detroit? Or Is This Just TikTok’s Favorite Love Story Brewing?
By [joyce] | ESPN Human Feature Contributor
In Detroit, the coffee is strong, the rumors are stronger — and apparently, so are the unresolved feelings.
Over the last 72 hours, a story has bubbled up from the heart of the Motor City and steamed across TikTok like a double-shot macchiato: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal allegedly helped his ex-girlfriend open a stylish new café in downtown Detroit.
It started with a blurry 18-second video of a latte art tutorial. The influencer, known as @lattesandlineups, casually mentioned, “Someone said the guy funding this place is… the Tigers pitcher? You know, the lefty?”
That passing line exploded into full-blown speculation — and suddenly, the most talked-about thing in Detroit baseball wasn’t ERA or WAR, but a quiet romance that maybe, just maybe, never really ended.
☕️ A Café Called “Dawnlight”
The café in question is called Dawnlight, a minimalist, warmly lit shop nestled just off Woodward Avenue. It’s only been open two weeks, but already it’s packed with locals, design students, and baseball romantics hoping to catch a glimpse of “her.”
The co-owner listed on the business license is R.M., widely believed to be Rachel Myers, a local artist and graphic designer who dated Skubal during his breakout 2021 season. She’s been off the grid since 2022 — until now.
Dawnlight’s aesthetic? Clean, calming, earthy tones. The playlist? Acoustic covers of ’90s R&B. The drink specials? “Southpaw Latte,” “Slider Cold Brew,” and — no joke — a seasonal “Bullpen Chai.”
If that’s not a wink to baseball, we don’t know what is.
💬 The Breakup… and the Silence
Skubal and Myers never confirmed their relationship publicly, but they were seen at multiple charity events, photographed at a Tigers holiday banquet, and tagged in the same northern Michigan getaway post in early 2022. Then, silence.
“They just… disappeared,” one Tigers fan recalled. “No drama, no unfollowing each other, no subtweets. It was actually kind of mature — which is probably why this rumor feels real.”
Neither has posted about the other in over a year. But Skubal, known for his privacy and humility, has never been a “look at me” guy — especially off the field.
👀 Fueling the Fire: What TikTok Noticed
In another video posted this week, a barista shows a blurry jersey hanging behind the counter at Dawnlight — possibly a signed Tigers alternate. Another photo, quickly deleted, showed a tall man in a hoodie dropping off two bags of coffee beans with a visible Detroit Tigers gym tag sticking out of his pocket.
There’s no confirmation it was Skubal. But there’s also no denial.
“He’s always been lowkey,” said a former teammate. “If he was helping someone he cared about, I wouldn’t expect him to make a big deal of it. That’s just who he is.”
💔 Closure or New Chapter?
What’s making this story irresistible isn’t just the rumor — it’s what it represents:
A quiet gesture. A soft reconciliation. The idea that someone would secretly support their ex’s dream simply because they once loved them.
Some fans call it closure. Others call it a slow-burn rekindling.
“It’s like a Nicholas Sparks book but with coffee beans and baseball,” joked one Reddit user. “I need updates. I need this to be real.”
Dawnlight’s team declined to comment when reached by local press. The Tigers’ PR office offered a “no comment” when asked directly. And Skubal? Silent.
As he always is.
⚾ On the Mound, All Business
While the whispers swirl downtown, Skubal continues to dominate on the field. The 27-year-old lefty is having the best season of his career — sub-2.50 ERA, a WHIP under 1.00, and legitimate Cy Young buzz.
But ask around the clubhouse, and you’ll hear variations of the same thing: He’s locked in. Focused. Dialed.
“Whatever’s going on in his personal life, it’s not messing with his routine,” said a Tigers reporter. “But the fact that people think he might be doing something like this? That’s a testament to how much respect he’s earned.”
🧠 Fans Can’t Stop Talking
The comments keep pouring in.
“This is the kind of soft, emotional masculinity I like to see in sports.”
“I’d marry a man who names my drink special ‘Slider.’”
“When your ex funds your dreams instead of throwing shade — elite behavior.”
A few fans have even started leaving notes at the café:
“If this was your gesture, Tarik — respect. True MVP move.”
“You should both be proud of the life you’re building, even separately.”
📝 Final Thoughts: Just a Rumor?
Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s everything. Maybe it’s just a TikTok-fueled daydream that fills a romantic gap between innings.
But in a world where athletes are often dissected and their relationships made public property, the idea that one man could quietly lift someone up without asking for credit — just because it mattered — is… quietly powerful.
And in the meantime, the Southpaw Latte at Dawnlight continues to sell out.
Would you help your ex chase their dream — even if no one knew you did it?
If the whispers are true, Tarik Skubal just answered that. Not with words.
But with a café.
And maybe, just maybe — with his heart.