Sunday Funday, indeed.
West Michigan is buzzing about the looming appearance of Tigers ace and two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who will make a rehab start for the Whitecaps at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park on Sunday.
Skubal, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow in early May, will make his first start Sunday since April 29. The rehab start might be the only one Skubal needs before returning to the Tigers’ rotation in a recovery process that has been remarkably speedy, seemingly beating return-to-the-mound expectations by weeks, if not months.
How to get tickets for Tarik Skubal’s start
Tickets for Sunday’s game between the Whitecaps and the Dayton Dragons are sold out, though it’s actually not because of Skubal. The game was sold out before the Tigers made the announcement Friday about the rehab.
There were a handful of pairs of tickets put on StubHub after the Tigers’ announcement, with prices in the hundreds of dollars as of Friday night.
Tickets for seats in the front row right behind home plate were listed for more than $2,000 per seat.
LMCU Ballpark, home of the Tigers’ High-A affiliate, has a capacity of more than 10,000.
What time is Tarik Skubal’s start Sunday?
The Whitecaps, who also are expecting a significant media presence Sunday, were making adjustments to logistics on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m., though a Whitecaps spokesperson said Friday that the first pitch might actually be a bit later than that, given construction around the ballpark.
Parking lots to LMCU Ballpark now will open at 10 a.m., more than four hours before first pitch. Gates to the ballpark will open at 11:45 a.m. for season-ticket holders, and noon for individual ticket holders.
The Whitecaps will continue with their tradition players signing autographs and playing catch on the field before the game, though Skubal will not participate in the autographs because he will be warming up for his start.
This will be Skubal’s first time pitching for the Whitecaps since 2023, when he made two rehab starts, including one at LMCU Ballpark in Comstock Park. He also made three appearances for West Michigan in 2018, after the Tigers selected the left-hander in the ninth round of that year’s draft out of Seattle University.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tarik Skubal’s Sunday start sparks buzz in west Michigan
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tony Paul, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
