Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal needs surgery to remove loose bodies from his left pitching elbow, according to his manager, AJ Hinch, on Monday afternoon.
There is no timetable for his recovery yet, but he will be placed on the 15-day injured list and miss significant time after being scratched from his scheduled start on Monday night.
The two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner continued his recent run of brilliance, posting a 2.70 ERA in 43.1 innings of work.
Surgery potentially throws a wrench into Skubal and the Tigers’ future this summer. At 18-17, Detroit has the benefit of playing in a mediocre AL Central Division, entering Monday’s action tied for first with the Cleveland Guardians. A lack of contention, regardless of the health of Skubal, would have all but confirmed that the ace would have been shopped during this summer’s trade deadline.
Skubal and the Tigers had no progress on contract extension talks this winter, and he is slated for free agency at the end of 2026 after the two parties had to go through arbitration to settle the 29-year-old’s salary this year. He won his arbitration case and is owed $32 million this season.
His potential availability would have potentially given the Mets an opportunity to make a run at bolstering their rotation in a big way. Clay Holmes is off to a Cy Young-caliber start, Nolan McLean has been mostly a top-line starter, and Freddy Peralta is beginning to settle after coming over from the Milwaukee Brewers. But Kodai Senga’s lower back injury has him sidelined after a disastrous three-start stretch in which he posted a 17.28 ERA. David Peterson was called back from the bullpen and into the rotation, but he gave up seven runs in his first start back, and is working behind an opener moving forward.
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