Didn’t Hear No Bell: Tarik Skubal Already Throwing After Elbow Surgery

As soon as Tigers ace Tarik Skubal announced he would be sidelined due to elbow surgery, the entire city of Detroit seemed to take a punch to the gut. Fans had rallied behind the Tigers this offseason despite the organization seemingly avoiding major additions to a lineup desperately needing more offensive firepower. Still, the club’s “all-in” mentality showed through with its willingness to spend heavily on the pitching staff.

That optimism quickly disappeared the moment alerts started flashing across phones around Michigan. Whether it came from ESPN, Yahoo, a text message, or a phone call, the news spread like wildfire. Suddenly, dreams of a fairytale ending for newly returned pitcher Justin Verlander — along with one final dominant run from Skubal before his career potentially takes him to a bigger market on the East or West Coast — came crashing down.

The initial report was grim. Skubal would undergo surgery to clean up loose bodies in his elbow, with an estimated recovery timeline of at least two months. For many fans, the season instantly felt like dust in the wind.

Then came the surprise. Barely a week after surgery, Skubal was already playing catch. Per MLB insider Jon Heyman on May 15: “Tarik Skubal is already playing catch, barely a week out of elbow surgery.