As the news about the back-to-back Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, being sidelined for the coming months spread, the Tigers manager addressed the situation.

One of the best pitchers in baseball, Tarik Skubal, is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. Tigers manager AJ Hinch revealed the shocking development on Monday before Skubal was scheduled to make his start against the Boston Red Sox. In a recent conversation with the MLB Network Radio, Hinch spoke about how Skubal’s elbow needed immediate attention.

“I spent some time with Tarik late into the night with our trainers and doctors, and had conversations about him not pitching on Monday, that was evident based on how he was feeling. And the more conversation happened, to where surgical intervention was needed,” Hinch stated.

“The timeline, he was tolerating a lot throughout the season, and then it got to the public event in Atlanta, then it got to the catch play, and he needed to get this fixed and taken care of. It would be better for himself, for us, to get him healthy.”

Skubal has emerged as one of the top starters in MLB following his return from a flexor tendon surgery in the same elbow in 2022.

But then, Tarik Skubal experienced sporadic pain in his left elbow in the seventh inning of his last start, against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. He shook his left arm, removed his glove, and rubbed his left elbow. Hinch visited him, along with assistant athletic trainer Kelly Rhoades and catcher Dillon Dingler. While Skubal stayed in the game after a practice pitch, he was struck out the side.

Per Dr. Kevin Farmer, a typical progression begins with 6 to 8 weeks of physical therapy to reduce swelling and restore range of motion. That phase is usually followed by another six to eight weeks of throwing and strength buildup before a pitcher is ready to return to game action.

The doctor even noted that Skubal “probably had these and didn’t know he had these.”

Tarik Skubal has been reportedly battling this issue intermittently since before spring training. He experienced sporadic pain in his left elbow in the seventh inning of his last start, against the Braves at Truist Park.

Now, his 3.07 career ERA with a 57-39 record and a 5.25 K/BB ratio will definitely be missed by the Detroit Tigers at least till early August, right after the All-Star Break.

Placing him on a 15-day IL on Sunday, Hinch even spoke about how the issue with Skubal’s elbow became even more evident during the Rangers’ game.

“He came in on Sunday and was pretty bothered by his catch play. That started a lot of conversations, and to go get some extensive tests done,” revealed Hinch, per MLB Network Radio.

“Tarik gets back during the game, and we realized we had a bigger issue to deal with.”

Skubal won his arbitration case against the Tigers this offseason to secure a $32 million salary. He will become a free agent this season and is expected to secure the biggest contract in history, surpassing the record 12-year, $325 million deal Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed.

The Dodgers have offered the biggest starting pitching contract in MLB history to Yamamoto. Before his injury, experts predicted a contract worth as much as $400 million would await Skubal in free agency.

Skubal made his latest start against the Atlanta Braves on April 29. In seven innings, he gave up 2 earned runs on five hits while striking out 7. The lefty starter has logged a 2.70 ERA across 7 starts this season.

As Skubal was scratched from the rotation on Monday, Tyler Holton opened the game, pitching only in the first. Following Holton, Ty Madden took the mound for five innings, giving up four scoreless hits with 7 strikeouts. But the Tigers ultimately lost the game, 5-4.

Now, the Tigers have the challenging task of finding his replacement in the rotation. Skubal, however, feels optimistic about returning to the mound soon.

Tarik Skubal speaks about surgery and possible return

Once the Tigers had found the root cause of Skubal’s elbow discomfort, they did not waste time scheduling the surgery.

“(We made) the decision to proceed and get surgery as soon as possible, so that way I can be back as soon as possible,” Skubal reportedly told the media on Monday.

With Skubal’s free agency looming, missing the entire season can have a bigger impact on his future contract. His return to pitching this season can play a big role in his free agency.

Meanwhile, Skubal is optimistic about returning to MLB after his rehab assignments. Though he has not provided any timeline for his return, Skubal is not too bothered by the situation.

“I think the length of the rehab is probably just getting your spring‑training buildup up again, getting your volume up. But the procedure itself, I think, is pretty simple, as far as what I’ve been explained. Don’t quote me on that, because I’m not a doctor—but I’m not too worried about it,” told Skubal.

The reigning Cy Young winner will undergo surgery on Wednesday.