Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal pitched five scoreless innings in his first minor league rehabilitation appearance since elbow surgery, striking out six and throwing 44 strikes on 54 pitches.
In Comstock Park, Mich., Tarik Skubal looked like the pitcher Detroit has counted on for years—calm, precise, and in control.
On Sunday, the two-time Cy Young Award winner made his first minor league rehabilitation appearance since undergoing elbow surgery last month. He worked five scoreless innings for Single-A West Michigan against Dayton, striking out six and allowing two hits. Of his 54 pitches, 44 were strikes.
The outing was significant not just for what it showed on the mound, but for what it follows. Skubal is 29 years old and had a non-invasive procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body from his throwing elbow. He last pitched for the Tigers on April 29.
Before the surgery sidelined him, Skubal had already built a strong statistical case for the season. He is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts. Over 43 1/3 innings, he has struck out 45 and walked only six. His status in the game is also defined by what he’s done before: he has won the AL Cy Young Award each of the last two seasons.
The sequence of facts matters here—surgery on May 6. the Tigers last seeing him on April 29. then a clean rehab start Sunday that kept hitters quiet and kept his pitch count manageable enough to be meaningful. Skubal’s rehabilitation appearance offered a snapshot of his readiness after the elbow procedure. and it came with the kind of efficiency that tends to ease worries in the earliest stages of a return.
For now, the Tigers and their fans will watch the next steps in his recovery, with this performance serving as the latest evidence that the comeback is at least underway.
Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers rehab appearance elbow surgery Cy Young Single-A West Michigan Dayton Comstock Park MLB news