Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal was removed from tonight’s contest in the fourth inning. He motioned to the dugout to call someone out to the mound. Manager A.J. Hinch and a member of the training staff visited him and the lefty was quickly lifted. Per Chris McCosky of Detroit News, he is experiencing tightness in his left side and is being evaluated. ESPN’s Jeff Passan describes the injury as “discomfort near his left rib cage,” noting that Skubal will undergo imaging on Saturday.
More details will be revealed in time. Any injury at all is potentially a massive development, given the calendar and Skubal’s importance. There are just over two weeks remaining in the regular season, so even a minimal IL stint at this point runs to the final days of the schedule. Anything longer than that would push into the postseason.
Skubal is the last player the Tigers want to lose to an injury. Arguably, his absence would be more notable than any other player in the majors. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball in recent years, if not the very best. Last year, he made 31 starts with a 2.39 earned run average, 30.3% strikeout rate, 4.6% walk rate and 45.7% ground ball rate. He was the unanimous choice for the American League Cy Young award. He made another three starts for Detroit in last year’s playoffs. He has continued that pace here in 2025. He came into tonight with 180 innings, a 2.10 ERA, 32.6% strikeout rate, 4.1% walk rate and 40.7% grounder rate.
The Tigers are in a comfortable spot in terms of qualifying for the playoffs. Entering play tonight, they have a lead of 8.5 games on the Guardians in the Central division. They are also five games clear of the Mariners/Astros for the second bye through the first round. However, in the postseason, teams lean more heavily on their best pitchers. With more off-days in the playoffs, the top dogs can take on a larger percentage of the innings pitched.
If healthy, Skubal would be the clear top of the Detroit rotation, with Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty and Charlie Morton behind him. If Skubal needs to miss some time in October, then those three would each bump up a slot.
For the rest of the regular season, though the Tigers are in a decent spot, they may still have to scramble a bit if Skubal is unavailable. They put Sawyer Gipson-Long on the injured list earlier today, dropping their rotation from five to four members. Morton is scheduled to go tomorrow, followed by a bullpen game on Sunday. After an off-day Monday, the club plans to have Mize and Flaherty pitch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Skubal was lined up for Thursday. Morton could perhaps pitch that game on regular rest or the Tigers could do another bullpen game. They have guys like Keider Montero, José Urquidy and Chris Paddack in the bullpen, each capable of covering multiple innings.
That will be a secondary concern to October. As mentioned, the Tigers are in a good spot in the standings and highly likely to make the playoffs, with a strong chance at a first-round bye as well. The games in October are far more important than anything in the next two weeks. Perhaps Skubal will be given a bit of rest with the hope of having him ready for the playoffs, though everything naturally hinges on the nature and severity of his injury.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
Hope it’s something minor, absolutely fantastic season.
He is pitching on 5 days rest.
Aiden – Agreed, otherwise the Jays will likely cruise to the WS.
That’s not set in stone with their pen.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Absolutely no way to replace Skubal if he is hurt forcany length of time. What do they do? Mize, Flaherty, Melton, Morton and a bullpen game a week with an Urquidy/Paddack/Montero combo?
Ya think ?
The best pitcher in all of baseball is named Sk….
Talking about Skyrocket Smith? Baseball reference has him listed as 1B for Louisville Colonels in 1888, not a pitcher although I’m sure my man could sling it
KMN
But you still have so much to live for!
Boo
That’s horrible news. Hope it’s nothing.
Baez also exited in the 2nd inning after fouling a ball off of his head.
That was an odd situation. I’ve seen guys foul a ball off the plate or dirt and then get hit when the ball bounces up. I can’t recall ever seeing anyone foul the ball directly into their face. Looked like the helmet may have taken some of the impact. Pretty ugly looking either way.
I remember Jayson Nix did it in the Olympics.
I think it was on a bunt. Took him out of action for a while.
That would make sense, I could see a bunt, since the bat is generally out front and the face is down closer to the bat.
Not feeling this Boston team. They don’t even have a lineup. They have 3.5 guys.
Losing Baez is addition by subtraction.
He’s been important this year.
Hoping nothing too serious. Would be a big blow to playoff baseball if Skubal isn’t pitching.
Oblique?
He grabbed up near his left armpit area. They are saying tightness right now. Hopefully something minor.
Obliques are down closer to the hips, or at least the lower part of the side. If it’s around the armpit area, that’s more likely a lat issue. Neither is ideal though.
Even if it’s a lat strain, given that it’s the arm-side, that could be 30-45 days on the shelf.
How many times does a horse starter get taken out in the 4th inning and it ends up being nothing? Like, not too many? This is the worst possible news for Detroit. I’m sorry guys.
Drafted in the 9th round
Guess all the scouts blew it on his potential
Holy cow, the Tigers are done for if Skubal is officially out.
No problem, 180 innings pitched, he has already secured his second consecutive Cy Young award.
Wouldn’t quite say Skubal had the Cy Young secured. The favourite? Sure. But if Skubal is out for the rest of the regular season (Absolutely hoping he isn’t) someone like Garrett Crochet or even Hunter Brown could push pass Skubal in the Cy Young race.
Even before injury to Skubal, Garrett Crochet already had more innings pitched and strikeouts than Skubal. So Skubal not winning the Cy Young this year is still very much still a possibility.
I respectfully rest my case!
Just luring them into a false sense of security.
Do you pay a pitcher $40 million/yr. and risk this happening? My guess he goes on the DL. If the Tigers can hold on to a bye slot in the playoffs, he may not have to pitch again for 3+ weeks. Fingers crossed.
I don’t think any fan of baseball wants to see him hurt. I want to see him pitch in the playoffs. Not a Tigers fan but Skubal is a must see pitcher. Hope it’s minor.