New Tarik Skubal Trade Rumors as Tigers Star Makes Injury Rehab Appearance

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal may need to take a step forward in his rehabilitation from elbow surgery before other clubs will consider trading for him, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Sunday.

According to Nightengale, "rival executives believe that Skubal will need to make at least three starts to convince teams he's healthy."

Skubal made his first rehab start Sunday in action with High-A West Michigan, during which he threw 44 strikes on 54 pitches.

Skubal told reporters the date of his next start would depend on how he felt after Sunday's start.

"There's a plan in place. I need to wake up and feel good tomorrow, and then have a good week of work, and then we'll make that decision when we make it," Skubal said (h/t Tony Paul of the Detroit News).

Nightengale reported Sunday that the Tigers are telling other teams that Skubal is "off limits for now."

The Tigers' 26-39 record and Skubal's contract status still make him a possible midseason trade candidate. After settling with the Tigers through arbitration, he is playing this season on a $32 million salary before hitting unrestricted free agency in 2027.

Skubal underwent left elbow surgery in early May that ESPN's Jeff Passan reported at the time typically sidelines players for two to three months.

According to Passan, the procedure involved removing "loose bodies in the left elbow."

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported in May that one AL executive said "loose bodies can sometimes be a sign of ligament damage in the elbow, later leading to Tommy John surgery."

"As long as Skubal returns without incident, this latest injury shouldn't be a huge factor in his free agency as long as he can come back and show he's healthy before the end of the season," Feinsand reported.

Rival MLB teams might be monitoring how Skubal responds to Sunday's start, as well as how his next minor-league action goes, while gauging the trade market for the two-time reigning AL Cy Young champion ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline.