DETROIT (AP) 鈥� Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has started playing catch and soft tossing, just over a week after elbow surgery.
The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body in his pitching elbow, which was described as minimally invasive. When the Tigers placed the 29-year-old left-hander on the 15-day injured list in a move effective May 4, the team projected he would miss two to three months.
鈥淭arik has started his throwing program, which is significant news just that it鈥檚 increased his rehab progression to the next phase, which is really exciting,鈥� manager A.J, Hinch said Friday. 鈥淲e thought this procedure would lead to a step-by-step process and this next step is literally the throwing program. So he initiated that earlier this week and will continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen.鈥�
Skubal felt irritation in his last start, on April 29 against Atlanta, but remained in the game and struck out the side in his seventh and final inning. He was scratched on the day of his next scheduled start.
鈥淗e obviously feels great,鈥� Hinch said. “I was texting back and forth with him last night, and he was super excited about just the general feeling. It doesn鈥檛 feel weird, it doesn鈥檛 feel awkward. It鈥檚 not guarded.
鈥淚鈥檝e seen video of it. We鈥檙e in touch with him daily about the program,鈥� Hinch added. 鈥淎nd that sort of freedom, mentally and physically, I think, is a great sign. We鈥檝e been in touch with the doctor and making sure that we鈥檙e going by the protocol because this is a unique set of circumstances, throwing so soon.鈥�
Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts, striking out 45 and walking six in 43 1/3 innings. He has a $32 million salary after winning in arbitration and is eligible for free agency after the World Series.
鈥淚f there鈥檚 any sort of soreness, fatigue, lack of execution, things like that, we can get to the baseball (part of the rehab) once we clear any of the swelling,鈥� Hinch said.
___
AP MLB:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
