The Detroit Tigers got the worst news possible as their ace, Tarik Skubal, will miss an extended period of time.
The lefty has been diagnosed with loose bodies in his left elbow, and he will need surgery to fix it. Typically, this surgery has a two to three-month recovery time. However, with the injury being to his throwing elbow and him entering a contract year, they are going to be extra cautious. Skubal could likely miss more than the proposed timeline.
This is a major blow for the Tigers. Skubal was, without question, the best player on the roster and is a big reason for the team’s success. They are currently 18-19 tied for first place in the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians. Their offense has been average this season, ranking in the middle of the pack in most offensive categories. It is the pitching that has set them apart from other teams. If the Tigers want to keep up with the Guardians and the rest of the AL Central, they need to find a reliable starter.
The Tigers Will Need a Reliable Pitcher if They Want to Stay in Contention
Skubal is not the only Tigers pitcher who is on the shelf. They currently have six starting pitchers on the IL, including guys like Casey Mize and Justin Verlander. Even some of their depth pitchers like Tony Melton are also on the injured list. To make matters worse, Framber Valdez was suspended for six games due to hitting Trevor Stroy with a pitch that resulted in the benches clearing. The only projected starter still in the rotation is Jack Flaherty, who has struggled this season.
The Tigers are going to have to act quickly in order to fill the holes away in this rotation. While they ideally like to trade for a pitcher now, no team is going to want to trade right now. The Tigers would have to overpay in order to get a big league-caliber arm. This is a problem they will have to solve internally and through free agency. Sure, they are not going to be able to replace Skubal with anyone they bring in. But they should be able to tread water until the deadline and the price of starting pitchers comes down.
The easiest way to solve this problem is to call up some of the pitchers they have in Toledo. They have already called up Ty Madden, the 19th overall prospect in their system. But there are going to have to be a few more arms on the way up. The most likely is Jake Miller, the 15th overall prospect in their system. While he has only pitched in three innings in Triple-A, he was lights out in Double-A. In four starts, he had an ERA of 2.12 over 17 innings with 16 strikeouts, four walks, and a 1.06 WHIP.
There are also a few veteran arms that can be short-term options for the Tigers. Guys who may not have the ability to pitch well over a full season, but can do it in the short-term. The best option would be Tyler Anderson. He pitched 141 1/3 innings in 2025 to a 4.56 ERA with 104 strikeouts, 57 walks, a 1.30 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 99. He had an average exit velocity and a hard-hit% in the 80th percentile. This indicates he produced a lot of soft contact. This is exactly what the Tigers need right now.
While the loss of Skubal will hurt the Tigers, it’s something they can manage. If they are able to bring in a few quality arms, they can stay in contention for the AL Central.
