Tarik Skubal to undergo elbow surgery, sidelining Tigers ace for months ahead of free agency

Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers’ ace and two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner, is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow that will keep him sidelined for months, manager A.J. Hinch said on Monday.

Skubal isn’t done for the season, but he is expected to be out two to three months following the 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 is sidelined for months.

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Skubal’s arm locked up during a bullpen session on Sunday ahead of his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night. Now, he will undergo the surgery, with Hinch providing no specific timeline for his return.

Skubal’s last start came in a 4-3 win over the league-leading Atlanta Braves this past Wednesday, where he allowed two runs on five hits across seven innings of work. He struck out seven Braves hitters during his outing.

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However, in that game, Skubal was spotted rubbing his left arm, leading to Hinch and a Tigers trainer going to the mound to check on the pitcher. Skubal, though, remained in the game after tossing a warm-up 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 be making the spot start on Monday night, serving as the Tigers’ opener before Hinch needs to get creative with his bullpen.

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 great, especially with impending free agency looming.

Skubal won a record-breaking arbitration case this offseason, where the Tigers were told to pay the left-handed ace $32 million for the 2026 campaign after they proposed a $19 million salary. The victory beat Juan Soto’s arbitration pay by the New York Yankees in 2024 by $1 million.

But, with no long-term deal in place for Skubal, the electric starter is set to be one of the top free agents after the season, unless he and the Tigers don’t figure something out before then. It seems unlikely that will happen at this point.

All teams interested in Skubal will be watching his recovery and eventual return closely. Until then, Hinch and the Tigers will need others to step up in the meantime for the starting rotation.

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