Tarik Skubal Injury, Latest News on Tigers Star's Elbow and Return Timeline After Surgery Decision
The Detroit Tigers will be without their ace for the foreseeable future.
Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, Tigers starting pitcher and back-to-back reigning AL Cy Young Award winner will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow. Passan noted that this type of procedure typically requires two to three months of recovery, so Skubal "should return before season's end."
Skubal addressed the situation on Monday, per The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen:
"If you go watch my outings, there's been some abnormal arm-shake stuff. I've been dealing with some stuff, but I thought it was progressing and getting better. Yesterday, I had something that was different than what I had been dealing with, which led to having some conversations with the training staff and A.J., trying to figure out what's going on. … So that ultimately led to getting the scan and seeing what's going on, then making a decision after that to proceed and get surgery as soon as possible, so that way I can be back as soon as possible."
He added: "My understanding is it's common. I think it's more common than people think. It's more about (the loose bodies) float in the elbow. A lot of throwers probably have them, but they're asymptomatic. They don't get into spots that piss off your arm. I seem to have one that is giving me some inflammation and some problems."
MLB Network's Jon Heyman reported earlier that the Tigers scratched Skubal from his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday. The decision was reportedly "a precautionary move" after Skubal appeared to experience some discomfort in his left arm during his last start against the Atlanta Braves.
"It sucks," Skubal said, per Stavenhagen. "I want to play baseball. I give a lot to this game. Time, all that stuff. But if there's something positive to be taken from it, I'm going to come back and be the same guy. I'm not really too worried about that. Unfortunately, I've had two arm injuries before, and I think I've come back pretty well from those."
Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in the majors, but he raised some eyebrows when he left the World Baseball Classic after making just one start to focus on preparing for the 2026 season with the Tigers. The 29-year-old obviously was hoping to avoid sustaining a major injury in a contract year before becoming a free agent next offseason, when he would've been in line for a massive payday.
Through his seven starts this year, Skubal has looked like his usual self, going 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 43.1 innings pitched. The Tigers are tied with the Cleveland Guardians for first in the AL Central with an 18-17 record.
Losing Skubal is a major blow to a Detroit team that is looking to build off the momentum of back-to-back playoff appearances. The Tigers will try to stay afloat until he can return toward the end of the year, but it won't be easy in the competitive American League.
