KANSAS CITY -- Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could return significantly sooner than the typical timeline for a pitcher undergoing removal of a loose elbow particle, according to his agent, Scott Boras.
When the Tigers first announced that Skubal would need surgery, there was speculation he would return sometime after the All-Star break.
But Boras, talking on ESPN's "Baseball Tonight" podcast, said that because of the nature of the procedure by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, Skubal won't have to go through a full rebuild of his arm strength -- and this will shorten the time he will be absent from Detroit's rotation.
"We think that's going to be a much shorter period [of rehabilitation]," Boras said. "And he'll be able to return to performance at just a much, much earlier stage."
Many pitchers have had arthroscopic procedures to remove loose bodies, such as a bone chip, which is what Skubal had, and the typical recovery time is two to three months. But according to Boras, Dr. ElAttrache used a NanoScope for Skubal's procedure, which is not as invasive.
"This is really almost like receiving a shot," said Boras, describing the instrument used in the procedure, which he referred to as "a Skubal scope."
If all goes well in his recovery and rehabilitation, Skubal could be back to throwing very soon, meaning that he won't wholly lose the arm strength he built up with his offseason throwing program, spring training and the first part of this season. There is optimism in the Tigers clubhouse that he could be back sometime early in June.
A rapid return to action would be important for the Tigers, who have been decimated by injuries early this season, and for Skubal, who will be eligible for free agency in the fall.
Skubal won the AL Cy Young Award in 2024 and again in 2025, and he was off to a strong start this season. He posted a 2.70 ERA in his first seven starts but began to have discomfort from the bone chip in his elbow after his last start on April 29. After that outing, Skubal decided to have the chip removed.
