Tarik Skubal underwent surgery last week to remove loose bodies from his elbow. The Detroit Tigers did not reveal an expected timeline for his return, but the typical recovery schedule is about two to three months, depending on the procedure's extent and the player's individual healing.
However, Skubal's agent, Scott Boras, suggested over the weekend that the recovery could be even quicker. Speaking on ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" podcast, Boras said the surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, used a specialized arthroscopic technique that made the procedure far less invasive.
"This is really almost like receiving a shot," Boras said, referring to what he called a "Skubal scope." "We think that's going to be a much shorter period of rehabilitation, and he'll be able to return to performance at just a much, much earlier stage."
Timeline Could Have Skubal Back Before End of June
The speculation from Boras puts Skubal on a timeline that could have him back before the end of June. The less-invasive surgery would allow him to start throwing again sooner and require less time to build back up arm strength.
That said, Boras has motivation to hype up his client. Free agency comes after the season, and Skubal is far and away the top prospect in a relatively weak 2027 free agent class.
Skubal's 2025 Season Stats
In seven starts this year, Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts against six walks in 43⅓ innings. He won the American League Cy Young Award in both 2024 and 2025.
Tigers' Standing
The Tigers are off to a disappointing 19-22 start. Despite the low bar of the AL Central, they are tied for third place with the Royals and just 1½ games behind the first-place Guardians. No team in the division has a winning record.