Tarik Skubal was scratched from his scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, just hours before first pitch at Comerica Park. The two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner had been set to open a three-game series against a Boston club that has lost four of its last six games.
Manager A.J. Hinch later confirmed Monday that Skubal will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, and did not provide a timetable for his return.
The scratch comes less than a week after Skubal flashed his dominance in Atlanta. Against the Atlanta Braves on April 29, the 29-year-old lefty delivered seven innings of two-run ball, striking out nine and working around contact to hold one of baseball's most aggressive lineups in check.
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Before the unfortunate update, the Tigers were initially dealt a forearm scare during his start against Atlanta. In the seventh inning, Skubal stopped play and started rubbing the outside of his forearm after throwing a fastball, bringing Hinch and a trainer to the mound.
The news comes as a surprise as Skubal had earlier said he wasn’t worried about the health of his left arm heading into his next start: “I'm all right,” Skubal told reporters before Sunday's game (h/t Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press).
It's a big blow for the Tigers, who are now expected to be with their ace for an extended period. Before the setback, Skubal posted a 3-2 record, a 2.70 ERA, and 45 strikeouts across 43⅓ innings in eight starts.
First pitch against Boston is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET from Comerica Park.
