Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jun 7

Tarik Skubal Throws 5 Scoreless Innings in First Rehab Start After May 6 Elbow Surgery

Updated

Updated · ESPN · Jun 7

Tarik Skubal Throws 5 Scoreless Innings in First Rehab Start After May 6 Elbow Surgery

Q: Will Tarik Skubal's miracle recovery just make him the top prize at the trade deadline?

Yes — if Tarik Skubal returns to Detroit and looks like himself over the next few weeks, he is likely to become the top prize of the trade deadline. The key change is that his rehab start strongly reduced the biggest concern around him: health. Five scoreless innings, six strikeouts, 44 strikes in 54 pitches, and a fastball up to 98-99 mph is exactly what rival evaluators would want to see after an elbow procedure. His recovery timeline was already viewed around the sport as unusually fast, and if he bounces back well and rejoins the Tigers next weekend as expected, clubs will have time to judge him before the Aug. 3 deadline. His value was already elite. Before the injury, Skubal had a 2.70 ERA, 45 strikeouts, six walks, and a 2.11 FIP in seven starts. He is a two-time reigning Cy Young winner and, if healthy, arguably the best starter who could realistically be available. Detroit’s position matters just as much. The Tigers have struggled badly and sit well out of the race, while Skubal is headed for free agency after the season. That combination — elite rental ace, seller’s record, and limited time to recoup value — is exactly what creates bidding wars. Multiple reports already frame him as the best player who could be moved. The only real qualifier is whether Detroit keeps fading and whether Skubal proves fully healthy in the majors. If both happen, his recovery won’t just help his market; it will likely define the deadline.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Jun 7

Five scoreless innings marked Tarik Skubal's first minor league rehab outing Sunday, with the Tigers ace striking out six and allowing two hits for High-A West Michigan against Dayton.
Fifty-four pitches — 44 for strikes — backed the sharp return, and Skubal's fastball reached 98 mph after the noninvasive May 6 procedure to remove a loose body from his throwing elbow.
Skubal, 29, last pitched for Detroit on April 29 and is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA, 45 strikeouts and six walks in 43 1/3 innings over seven starts this season.
A return date to the Tigers remains unsettled, with Skubal saying he must see how his elbow responds over the next day and week before the next step is decided.