Skubal return – Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is set for his first start since elbow surgery on Saturday, June 13 against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. The return arrives after a rocky stretch when he was idled—Detroit slid in the AL Central—before reboundin
When Tarik Skubal steps onto the mound for the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. June 13. it won’t just mark another start on the schedule. It will mark the end of a five-week climb back from an elbow operation—backed by a specific procedure. a specific date. and a specific need for the Tigers to regain traction in the AL Central.
Skubal will make his first start since undergoing elbow surgery Saturday, June 13 against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, the Tigers’ home in Cleveland. The milestone follows an innovative NanoScope surgical procedure on May 6, when a loose body was removed from his elbow.
Before Skubal’s injury, Detroit had plenty of reasons to believe. He posted a 2.70 ERA in seven starts before the Tigers announced he required elbow surgery. Even as his strikeouts per nine innings (9.3) sat lower than in his two preceding seasons. his strikeout-walk ratio improved to a career-best 7.50. and his fielding independent pitching improved to 2.11.
Those numbers help explain why the Tigers’ season changed when he was forced to sit. After he was idled, Detroit lost 16 of 18 games and 21 of 26, sliding into the cellar of the AL Central. The fall was severe enough to force the standings into a different story—one where the ace wasn’t on the field and the margin for error narrowed.
Then, the picture started to shift. Detroit rebounded to win seven of nine as Skubal’s return drew closer, escaping last place as expectations solidified around his activation timing.
Now comes the immediate test: a division rival. The Tigers take on the Cleveland Guardians in the second game of a three-game weekend series, while trailing the first-place Chicago White Sox by eight games.
For fans, the viewing options are straightforward: Saturday’s matchup begins at 4:10 p.m. ET. The game airs on Detroit SportsNet and Guardians, and it’s available via the MLB.TV app. The location is Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Skubal’s contract situation adds another layer to the moment, even as the focus stays on his health and performance. After winning his arbitration case against the Tigers, Skubal is set to earn $32 million in 2026. He is eligible for free agency after the season.
He also enters the start with a track record that matters more than any single stat line. In his two Cy Young-winning seasons, Skubal went 31-10 with a 2.30 ERA, totaled 469 strikeouts in 387⅓ innings, and posted a 0.91 WHIP.
That entire arc—surgery on May 6. recovery over five weeks. the first start on June 13. and a division matchup while the Tigers chase a standings lift—compresses into one game. For a team that fell hard after Skubal was idled, the stakes are clear: this isn’t just a return. It’s a reset point, with a division opponent waiting right away.
Tarik Skubal Detroit Tigers Cleveland Guardians Progressive Field elbow surgery NanoScope procedure AL Central standings Chicago White Sox