"I know there's a lot of attention around Tarik and the procedure," manager A.J. Hinch said before Friday's opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. "All reports are positive and optimistic."
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) takes the field for first inning against Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) takes the field for first inning against Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
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"Everyone is going to want to talk about a timeline," Hinch said. "Everyone is racing to a lot of people that are throwing out timelines. The reality is, the most important step for him is the one that's right in front of him."
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Tyler Holton during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Detroit Tigers \pitching coach Chris Fetter, right, talks to pitcher Tarik Skubal, center, and catcher Dillon Dingler left after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, left, shakes hands with pitcher Tarik Skubal after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, shakes hands with second baseman Gleyber Torres after live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Drew Anderson and Assistant Major League Performance Coach Drew Heithoff, center, after live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks back toward the clubhouse after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, and pitcher Justin Verlander walks toward practice field during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, left, hugs Tarik Skubal after his introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitchers Tarik Skubal, left, Casey Mize watch during Justin Verlanderâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
From left, Detroit Tigers pitchers Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Framber Valdez, Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander during Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitchers include Tarik Skubal, center, Casey Mize, right, and pitcher Justin Verlander, left, watch during pitcher Framber Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, shakes hands with pitcher Framber Valdez, during Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
From left, pitcher Jack Flaherty, pitcher Justin Verlander and pitcher Tarik Skubal share a laughter at practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, right, practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks towards practice field during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Tyler Holton during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Tyler Holton during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers \pitching coach Chris Fetter, right, talks to pitcher Tarik Skubal, center, and catcher Dillon Dingler left after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, left, shakes hands with pitcher Tarik Skubal after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, shakes hands with second baseman Gleyber Torres after live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Drew Anderson and Assistant Major League Performance Coach Drew Heithoff, center, after live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks back toward the clubhouse after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, and pitcher Justin Verlander walks toward practice field during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander, left, hugs Tarik Skubal after his introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitchers Tarik Skubal, left, Casey Mize watch during Justin Verlanderâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Framber Valdez at his first Detroit Tigers spring training
From left, Detroit Tigers pitchers Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Framber Valdez, Tarik Skubal and Justin Verlander during Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitchers include Tarik Skubal, center, Casey Mize, right, and pitcher Justin Verlander, left, watch during pitcher Framber Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Framber Valdez at his first Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, shakes hands with pitcher Framber Valdez, during Valdezâs introductory press conference at the 34 Club of Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
From left, pitcher Jack Flaherty, pitcher Justin Verlander and pitcher Tarik Skubal share a laughter at practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, right, practices during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
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See Tarik Skubal in perhaps his last Detroit Tigers spring training
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks towards practice field during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
The 29-year-old will begin his rehabilitation in Lakeland, Florida, home of the Tigers' spring training complex. Everyone will know more about the plan for his return-to-play schedule once he throws for the first time.
When will that be?
"He will not resume throwing in the next few days," Hinch said. "I don't know when that day is going to be, but that next step of rehab is the one that we're going to focus on â not some random date in the future that simply would be a guess at this point."
There is no other structural damage in Skubal's left elbow.
"That sets him on the road to rehab, which is next," Hinch said. "I don't know what that means."
Skubal is set to become a free agent in November 2026.