Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is ready for his next start.
That is significant because Skubal – and everyone else in the Tigers’ organization – experienced an injury scare in the seventh inning Wednesday, April 29, in a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
The 29-year-old shook his left arm, removed his glove and rubbed his left elbow. He received a visit from manager A.J. Hinch, assistant athletic trainer Kelly Rhoades and catcher Dillon Dingler. He stayed in the game after a practice pitch, then struck out the side to complete his start.
Skubal feels healthy entering Monday’s start against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park.
“I’m all right,” Skubal said.
The reigning two-time American League Cy Young winner didn’t want to get into the details of exactly what happened after Wednesday’s game, though Hinch revealed that Skubal experienced “a funny feeling on the outside of his arm” in the seventh inning.
“I don’t really know,” Skubal said roughly 27 hours before Monday’s start, still trying to make sense of what led to the injury scare. “You’ve heard the word zinger, I guess, but it wasn’t really like a nerve thing, so I don’t know.”
He threw his bullpen between starts before Friday’s game.
Everything has been normal.
“I think a lot of people were [wondering about the injury scare], but I don’t think I was one of them,” Skubal said. “I felt like I would be already coming out of it. After next-day soreness, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m going to be all right.'”
Is Skubal thinking about the health of his arm?
“I’m not,” Skubal said.
Hinch can’t make the same claim.
“I’m worried about all our guys, especially given the way our last few weeks have gone,” Hinch said before Sunday’s game, referencing injuries to utility player Zach McKinstry, right-hander Casey Mize, shortstop Javier Báez and right-handed reliever Will Vest. “It’s not specific to Tarik, but it’s the way our injured list has grown. It’s always heightened awareness right now. I like no news. That’s good news.”
In 2026, Skubal has a 2.70 ERA with six walks and 45 strikeouts across 43⅓ innings in seven starts.
His strikeout rate has dropped from 32.2% in 2025 to 27.1% in 2026, which could be a product of his whiff rate falling from 32.5% to 29.8% and his fastball velocity declining from 97.4 mph to 96.5 mph.
Skubal is set to become a free agent in November 2026.
This story will be updated.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal shares update after injury scare
Reporting by Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
