Tarik Skubal’s recovery timeline may be much shorter than first feared

The Detroit Tigers may have received the best possible news following Tarik Skubal’s elbow surgery.

According to a Thursday update from MLB insider Jon Heyman, Skubal’s procedure was so successful that a return in as little as four to six weeks is now considered possible.

Heyman reported that only “one relatively small loose body” was removed from Skubal’s elbow and that the two-time Cy Young winner could begin working out again within days.

That timeline is dramatically more optimistic than the initial reports earlier this week, which suggested Skubal could miss two to three months after undergoing surgery on his left elbow.

The Tigers announced earlier this week that Skubal would undergo arthroscopic surgery after experiencing discomfort following his May 1 start against the Atlanta Braves. Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said the ace felt a “funny feeling” in his arm during the outing before additional testing revealed the loose bodies in the elbow.

At the time of the injury, Skubal had once again been pitching like one of the best starters in baseball. The reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner carried a 3-2 record with a 2.70 ERA and 45 strikeouts through seven starts in 2026.

Detroit’s rotation has already been stretched thin by injuries, making Thursday’s report especially encouraging for a Tigers team trying to stay afloat in the AL Central race. While the organization will almost certainly proceed cautiously with its ace, the possibility of a June return changes the outlook considerably compared to the fears many fans had earlier in the week.

Skubal underwent the procedure Wednesday under the care of noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.