The Tigers announced that they have reinstated left-hander Tarik Skubal from the 60-day injured list. In a corresponding move, lefty Tyler Alexander is going the other way, having been placed directly onto the 60-day IL with a left lat/shoulder strain. Alexander’s IL placement is retroactive to July 3.
Skubal, 26, returns to the big league mound for the first time in almost a year. He was enjoying a breakout season last year, posting a 3.52 ERA through 21 starts with a 24.5% strikeout rate, 6.7% walk rate and 45.7% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, his last outing was August 1 of last year, after which he required flexor tendon surgery.
Skubal’s injury has been just one of many suffered by the Tigers’ rotation. Each of Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo, Casey Mize, Matthew Boyd, Eduardo Rodriguez and Spencer Turnbull are currently on the IL due to various ailments. Matt Manning also missed significant time, though he is now back with the club and Rodriguez is expected to be activated tomorrow. Those pitching injuries are a big reason why the club is sitting on a meager 37-46 record, but that’s still good enough to be just 5 games back in the American League Central. Perhaps some rotation stability brought by the returns of Skubal, Manning and Rodriguez can help the club stay afloat with the deadline now just weeks away.
As for Alexander, his involvement in today’s moves comes as a surprise. He wasn’t previously on the injured list and pitched on Sunday without a public indication he was hurt. Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic relays that Alexander won’t undergo an MRI until the inflammation goes down. Given that he’s been quickly placed on the 60-day IL and there’s less than three months left on the schedule, it seems fair to wonder if his season is in jeopardy. He has a 4.50 ERA this year in 44 innings, striking out 24.3% of opponents against a tiny 2.8% walk rate.
Losing Alexander stings. He wasn’t sharp in his last outing, but pitched well before. The Tigers had little depth among left-handed relievers anyway.
Gruß,
BSHH
He’s back! That’s one.
Hoping Skubal picks up where he left off last year and stays healthy, he’s got good stuff.
Tyler Alexander 60 day? Wow, that happened fast. He didn’t look good Sunday trying to protect an 8 run lead un the 8th. He gave up 3. I guess we know why.
This is ridiculous! Detroit gets Manning back, and Boyd gets TJ surgery. Now Alexander goes down when Skubal comes back. Who goes down for the season for E-Rod to get activated?
Well, I’m going for the wildest prediction because those are the ones that seem to happen….. Lorenzen out for the year, gets hurt in the All Star Game.
September use to be nice with the call ups, but now you only get one each making it 14-14. Saved some bullpen guy being sent down, and getting a starter back always helps. The Tigers are playing good ball right now, but anytime the alleged worst team comes into anyone’s town the fans hold their breath.
The Tigers just can’t catch a break. Gain a pitcher, lose a pitcher.
Super excited to see Skubal pitch. Sucks about Alexander. He had turned things around since starting off shaky.
Losing Boyd, Vest and Alexander to injuries is going to make it very difficult to trade any pitchers at the deadline.
Skubal was great. He pitched four innings, no hits, no walks. Hit one batter, struck out six. Then Olson pitched four scoreless innings.
Beautiful pitching by Skubal and Olson, and it’s completely wasted. Tigers lost 1-0 in 10 innings.
I’m more money a traditional, BA, RBI, HR guy myself. I don’t even know what most of the rest of that alphabet soup stands for…..or what that has to do with Pythagoras or the Hippocratic oath, I don’t know…..but if that’s what the experts say…..