DETROIT — Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, winner of two Cy Young Awards, is scheduled to rejoin the team’s starting rotation this Saturday when they face Cleveland.
Tigers skipper A.J. Hinch revealed the news on Thursday, also noting that right-handed pitcher Casey Mize might be ready to return on Sunday, pending the completion of another bullpen workout session scheduled for later Thursday.
Skubal’s comeback timeline has exceeded expectations. In early May, Detroit announced their 29-year-old star pitcher would need arthroscopic surgery to clear loose debris from his left elbow. The surgical procedure, known as a NanoNeedle scope, was performed approximately five weeks ago. During his rehabilitation assignment, Skubal pitched five scoreless innings for Detroit’s High-A minor league team, giving up just two hits.
Before being placed on the injured list, Skubal posted a 3-2 win-loss record with a 2.70 earned run average across seven starts. He surrendered 35 hits and 13 earned runs while pitching 43.1 innings. His final appearance for Detroit came on April 29.
