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Detroit Tigers ace and two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow that will sideline him for several months, manager AJ Hinch said Monday.
Skubal is not done for the season, but he is expected to be out two to three months after surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow, ESPN reported.
Hinch called it an “easy process and procedure” while delivering the news, but it’s certainly a blow to the Tigers’ staff and Skubal personally that he’s out for several months.
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Detroit pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts during the MLB game between the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves on April 29, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga. (Rich Von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire)
Skubal’s arm locked up during a bullpen session Sunday ahead of his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. Now he will undergo surgery, with Hinch giving no specific timeline for his return.
Skubal’s last start came in a 4-3 win over the league-leading Atlanta Braves last Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits across seven innings of work. He struck out seven Braves hitters during his outing.
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But in that game, Skubal was spotted rubbing his left arm, prompting Hinch and a Tigers trainer to go to the mound to check on the pitcher. However, Skubal remained in the game after throwing a warmup pitch and he went on to pitch seven strong innings.
As a result of Skubal being out, the Tigers recalled Ty Madden to the big leagues. Tyler Holton will also start Monday night and serve as the Tigers’ opener before Hinch has to get creative with his bullpen.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts after giving up a hit against the Minnesota Twins in the fourth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 14, 2025. (Jesse Johnson/Imagn Images)
Skubal is the latest Tigers starter to be placed on the injured list, joining Casey Mize and Justin Verlander. That leaves Framber Valdez and Jack Flaherty as the only healthy starters at the moment.
For Skubal, the timing isn’t good, especially with free agency looming.
Skubal won a record-breaking arbitration case this offseason in which the Tigers were told to pay the left-handed ace $32 million for the 2026 campaign after they proposed a $19 million salary. The win beat Juan Soto’s 2024 New York Yankees arbitration salary by $1 million.
Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers looks on between the pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia on April 29, 2026. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
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But without a long-term deal in place for Skubal, the electric starter is set to be one of the top free agents after the season, given he and the Tigers don’t figure anything out before then. It seems unlikely that will happen at this point.
Any team interested in Skubal will follow his recovery and eventual return closely. Until then, Hinch and the Tigers will need others to step up in the interim for the starting rotation.
