Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the two-time defending American League Cy Young winner, will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow following a flare-up. Neither Skubal nor the team has provided a specific timetable for his return, though recovery typically takes two to three months. The injury led to him being scratched from his Monday start against the Red Sox.
Tarik Skubal experienced a flare-up in his left elbow during work on Sunday night, prompting scans that revealed loose bodies. This issue first drew public attention last Wednesday in Atlanta, when he shook his arm and grabbed his forearm on the mound, summoning catcher Dillon Dingler. Skubal has dealt with the problem intermittently all season but thought it was improving until the recent escalation. He was placed on the injured list and will miss his scheduled start Monday against the Red Sox, with Tyler Holton starting in a bullpen game and Ty Madden called up from Triple-A Toledo for bulk innings. Manager A.J. Hinch announced the surgery before Monday's game, saying, “It’s anybody’s guess right now until he actually has the surgery. We’ve got to talk to the doctor, have the surgery and form a plan of rehab.” Skubal added, “I thought I was progressing in a very positive manner. Yesterday's catch play just didn't really go great, which led to getting scans and getting the information.” The 29-year-old hurler, who is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA this season, called the procedure relatively simple and expects to pitch again this year, with ligaments unaffected. He has a history of arm surgeries, including Tommy John in college and flexor tendon repair in 2022, but has been dominant since returning in 2023 with a 41-15 record and 2.41 ERA over 511 innings. The injury poses a significant challenge for the Tigers, currently tied for first in the AL Central at 18-17 with playoff aspirations, as their rotation is already thinned by injuries to Casey Mize, Justin Verlander, Reese Olson, and others.