One of the hottest pitchers in baseball may be missing a significant period of time due to an elbow flare up.
Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal has been lined up for surgery on his elbow to remove loose bodies.
Skubal was only initially downgraded to being scratched ahead of his scheduled Monday-night start against the Boston Red Sox in what was reported as a ‘precautionary move’ by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
However, that prognosis was then upgraded when the news of the required surgery was revealed.
Now, Skubal is headed to the injured list. While no timetable for return was made immediately available, recovery from this sort of injury typically requires a recovery period of two to three months.
Skubal suffered an injury scare against the Atlanta Braves last week, leading to scans and consultations with doctors.
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will likely be out multiple months after needing elbow surgery
Skubal injured his arm last Wednesday against Atlanta, only for it to flare up again on Sunday
Skubal was discovered to have loose bodies in his pitching arm, requiring the surgery
Skubal was seen shaking his pitching arm, grabbing his forearm and calling over catcher Dillon Dingler on Wednesday night in Atlanta.
He then experienced a flare-up in his pain on Sunday night, leading to his visit to the doctors and discovering the need for the procedure.
‘From my understanding, you just go take it out,’ Skubal told reporters (via MLB.com).Â
‘I think length of the rehab is probably just getting your Spring Training buildup up again, getting your volume up. But the procedure itself I think is pretty simple as far as what I’ve been explained.
‘I think the important thing is getting them taken out, and then you let the incisions heal I’m assuming, let everything else heal up inside, start playing catch again and [eventually] get back to pitching in the big leagues.’
In his place, Tyler Holton will get the start for the 18-17 Tigers against the 13-21 Red Sox.
