Keep that head up Tarik Skubal managers — here's why it's not the end of your fantasy baseball season

The news came down midday Monday, and it was impossible to shake. Tarik Skubal, headed to the injured list. Loose bodies in the pitching elbow. Likely a 2-3 month absence. As a fantasy baseball player and a Michigan native, this is how you ruin my day in 10 seconds.

The cooling off period has come and gone. Now it’s time to reflect, reassess, regroup and move forward.

We often talk about how starting pitchers are the running backs of fantasy baseball. When you land on the right ones — or when your stars stay healthy — life is wonderful. And when the injury gods frown at you, it can be a long season.

Healthy Christian McCaffrey has been a football cheat code in the right seasons. And he’s been a depressing pick in the wrong seasons, like in 2024, when he was hurt and mysteriously scratched Week 1, before the season even started. And fantasy baseball managers can certainly relate.

Before Monday, the injured pitcher discussion was dominated by fallen closers. Edwin Díaz, Jhoan Duran, Raisel Iglesias, Josh Hader, Pete Fairbanks and Carlos Estévez are currently hurt. It’s exhausting to see that list, consider just how much wreckage we’ve seen at fantasy baseball’s most volatile position.

But the starting pitcher position has also seen plenty of attrition. Skubal joins Garrett Crochet and Hunter Brown on the injured list — the top-three vote-getters in last year’s AL Cy Young voting. We’re still waiting for Hunter Greene, Gerrit Cole, Nick Lodolo and Blake Snell to pitch this year. Sonny Gray, Carlos Rodón and Nick Pivetta are currently hurt. If Milwaukee's rising ace Jacob Misiorowski (hamstring) misses any time, I’m going to be in rough shape.

We also should mention there are plenty of name pitchers currently healthy — as far as we know — but not pitching like we expect. Logan Webb, Logan Gilbert and Bryan Woo all have ERAs over 4.00. Cole Ragans and Jesús Luzardo are over 5.00. Luis Castillo can’t get anyone out. Eury Pérez hasn’t put it together yet. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

The starting pitcher leaderboard through one month is a mix of unusual names, as it often is. Cam Schlittler has been dominant, teammate Max Fried not far behind. Chris Sale and Jacob deGrom can still do it. José Soriano has been a revelation for the Angels, though his last start was messy. Davis Martin is a fun story for the competitive White Sox. Parker Messick is a breakout star in Cleveland. Paul Skenes was rocked on opening day — and he’s been terrific since.