Full Breakdown
Detroit Tigers Schedule Tarik Skubal’s Rehab Start as Pitching Staff Battles Injuries
6/6/2026, 2:53:27 AM
Rehab Start Announcement
Detroit announced left-hander Tarik Skubal will pitch his first live game since elbow surgery on Sunday, June 7, for High-A West Michigan against the Dayton Dragons. The assignment moved to High-A due to weather in Des Moines.
Injury Context & Recent Performance
The Tigers are fourth in the AL Central (25-38) and have gone 7-21 since May 3 after a brief stint above .500. Injuries have sidelined starter Casey Mize (adductor), closer Kenley Jansen (groin) and Justin Verlander (hip). Skubal entered the IL after his April 29 start, underwent a NanoNeedle-assisted arthroscopic elbow surgery on May 6, threw a 64-pitch, four-inning simulated game on June 1, and is slated for a June 7 rehab start. He entered the IL with a 2.70 ERA, 45 strikeouts and six walks in 43.1 innings.
Player Status Overview
Skubal is recovering from a May 6 arthroscopic elbow procedure that removed a loose bone chip and aims for 75-80 pitches into the fifth inning. Mize holds a 2.27 ERA over 47 2/3 innings. Verlander threw five scoreless innings for Triple-A Toledo on June 2. Jansen will rehab on Sunday.
Official Statements
Manager A.J. Hinch called the plan “step-by-step,” noting Skubal is in “unprecedented territory” and Whitecaps will “take good care of him.” Skubal said he is “excited to go out there and compete,” focusing on “throwing strikes” and “covering first base.”
Criticism & Trade Rumors
Observers warn the rapid return could be a “catastrophizing” scenario and speculate the Tigers might trade the 29-year-old if health concerns persist. Projections expected a 2-3-month absence.
Why It Matters
After sweeping the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, Hinch believes Skubal’s return will add “a ton of confidence” and help sustain the streak. A healthy ace could ease pressure on a staff “decimated by injuries.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Typical recovery is 2-4 months, but the “NanoNeedle” technique reportedly shortened Skubal’s timeline, creating divergent expectations about his return date. No MLB activation date is set.
Verbatim Quotes
- “He's in unprecedented territory right now.” — A.J. Hinch
- “It's been about about a month or so, and when you don't get to play, it sucks, you know? So I'm excited to go out there and compete,” — Tarik Skubal
- “Ideally we probably want Triple-A, but the weather there doesn't seem like the smart move to send me there, and potentially not even throw at all.” — Tarik Skubal
- “I think it gives everyone in this room of ton of confidence in us, and obviously we've got some help coming back,” — A.J. Hinch
Upcoming Outlook
Detroit opens a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on June 5, aiming to extend its winning streak. Skubal’s rehab will be evaluated for a possible MLB call-up, while Verlander and Mize continue rehab.
