Story perspectives

Tigers Put Cy Young Skubal on IL for elbow surgery

5/5/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Tarik Skubal on the injured list and announced arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Skubal entered 2026 with a 3-2 record, a 2.70 ERA and a $32 million salary.
He is a 29-year-old AL Cy Young winner and will become a free agent after the season.
The surgery should sideline him two to three months with no return date, forcing the 18-17 Tigers to rely on Valdez and Flaherty.

History

Historical Context

In 1974, pitcher Tommy John underwent the first successful ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, extending his career and popularizing elbow surgery. The procedure cost roughly $30,000 in 1974, and by 2020 over 1,200 MLB pitchers had received similar surgeries, according to MLB.com. Today, Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, a 2022 AL Cy Young winner earning $32 million, faces elbow surgery that will sideline him two to three months. The Tigers must now rely on young arms like Luis Valdez and Jack Flaherty, echoing past teams that rebuilt rotations after key pitchers’ injuries.

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Story summary

The Detroit Tigers placed right-hander Tarik Skubal on the injured list and announced arthroscopic elbow surgery.
Skubal entered 2026 with a 3-2 record, a 2.70 ERA and a $32 million salary.
He is a 29-year-old AL Cy Young winner and will become a free agent after the season.
The surgery should sideline him two to three months with no return date, forcing the 18-17 Tigers to rely on Valdez and Flaherty.

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