The Detroit Tigers could get star left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal back sooner than expected.
Skubal is the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner and was off to a great start again. However, it was announced that Skubal will need surgery to remove a loose elbow particle.
Following the news that Skubal would need surgery, there was speculation that he would return sometime after the All-Star break. However, his agent Scott Boras appeared on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” podcast and revealed that Skubal won’t have to go through a full rebuild of his arm strength, which will allow him to get back on the mound sooner.
“We think that’s going to be a much shorter period (of rehabilitation),” Boras said. “And he’ll be able to return to performance at just a much, much earlier stage.”
The recovery time for pitchers who undergo a similar surgery to Skubal is roughly two to three months. Yet, Boras said Dr. ElAttrache used a NanoScope for Skubal’s procedure, which is not as invasive, which should help speed up the recovery.
“This is really almost like receiving a shot,” said Boras.
Boras believes Skubal could be back throwing soon, so he won’t lose his arm strength, which should allow him to return to the MLB faster than expected.
Tigers Optimistic About Skubal’s Timeline
After Detroit announced that Skubal would need surgery, it was a huge blow to their playoff chances.
However, the Tigers are optimistic that Skubal will be able to return to the mound sooner than expected.
“All reports are positive and optimistic, that it was a simple procedure that we’d talked about,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “They got the loose body out with minimal invasion, and that sets him on the road to rehab. …
“Everyone’s going to want to talk about a timeline. Everyone’s racing to a lot of people that are throwing out timelines. And the reality is the most important step for him is the one that’s right in front of him. He will not resume throwing in the next few days. I don’t know when that day’s going to be. But the next step of rehab is the one that we’re going to focus on, and not some random date in the future that simply would be a guess at this point.”
Skubal was 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 7 starts before the injury.
Skubal Glad to Get an Answer on Injury
Following the Tigers’ announcement that Skubal would undergo surgery, the left-hander was glad to finally know what was wrong with him.
Skubal said the injury was something he’s been dealing with but wasn’t sure what was wrong with him.
“This is something that I’ve been dealing with all season,” Skubal said. “It’s good to get an answer, honestly.”
The injury, however, comes at a bad time as Skubal is set to be a free agent at the end of the season. Yet, it’s likely the left-hander will still be able to command a massive deal in free agency, even with the injured year.
Detroit is 18-22 and in fourth place in the AL Central.
Tigers Get Positive Update on Tarik Skubal Ahead of Rehab