Monday was supposed to be must-see TV for Detroit Tigers fans. Their ace and back-to-back Cy Young Award winner was scheduled to take the mound against one of the American League’s worst teams. Fans were expecting another dominant start from Tarik Skubal against the bottom-feeding Boston Red Sox. Plans changed when the news broke that Skubal would forgo elbow surgery.
The ace was seen grabbing his left elbow during his last start against the Atlanta Braves. Now he will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his pitching arm. The pitcher is expected to miss two to four months on the IL. How will this affect a Tiger team that is in the mix of the pathetic American League Central?
Skubal and the 2026 Tigers
Tarik Skubal is making a bid for his three-peat of the AL Cy Young. So far in the 2026 season, Skubs has a 3-2 record with a 2.70 ERA. He is averaging over a strikeout per inning and gives the team a great chance to win every time he steps on the mound.
The team, to everyone’s surprise, was not shy in the offseason when it came to spending. Signing high-end free agent pitcher Framber Valdez to pair with their ace on the final year of his deal. The team also brought back a familiar face. A franchise fan favorite, Justin Verlander is most likely finishing his career where it all started in the Motor City.
Detroit has been average this season. And I literally mean average. Entering Monday, they have an 18-17 record and sit second in the AL “Comedy” Central. An organization that so far has been great at home (12-3) and not very great on the road (6-14). The only real excitement has been the hot start from “Our Guy,” rookie Kevin McGonigle.
How This Affects the Tigers Going Forward
In one of the weakest divisions in baseball, the Tigers were the favorite to run away with it, but they have hit the injury bug as hard as anyone. Skubal is added to an already long list of key players out for Detroit. If I had told you on January 1st, 2026, that one month into the baseball season, four out of five starting pitchers would be out at once, you would call me crazy!
Skubal joins Casey Mise, Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, and Justin Verlander on the IL, leaving only Jack Flaherty and Framber Valdez in the rotation. Oh, not to mention their injuries in the bullpen with Troy Melton, Beau Brieske, and Will Vest missing significant time. On the offensive side of the ball, Zack McKinstry, Parker Meadows, and Javy Baez, even if they are swinging at balls meant to kill worms, have all been out of the Tigers’ lineup.
Final Thoughts
This is where it gets interesting. Skubal will miss anywhere from 2 to 4 months, and everyone knows about his upcoming free-agency drama. If the injury is prolonged, does his agent, Scott Boras, shut down his potential half-a-billion-dollar client for the season? Will seeing the team without Skubal give the fans, and maybe more importantly, the front office, a sneak peek into the future? Or will the CBA negotiations just end baseball altogether? Who knows! Only time will tell.
Do the Tigers deal Skubal at the deadline if they can’t overcome the injury bug and are in definite sell mode? It is weird to think about, but have Tigers fans seen the last Skubal start? Weird to think about life without our back-to-back Cy Young Winner, isn’t it? Well, once upon a time, we said goodbye to a longtime friend just to welcome him back a decade later.
Point of Vision 
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