Two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, the Detroit Tigers announced May 4. No timetable has been set for his return, but a two to three month recovery is typical for this type of procedure. That would potentially leave the 29-year-old ace out of the rotation until sometime in July or August.
What are loose bodies? On Tarik Skubal’s injury
Loose bodies are fragments of bone, cartilage, or both that have broken off and float freely within a joint. In a pitcher’s elbow, they are usually caused by the extreme stress of throwing. The violent jerking motion of throwing a pitch, repeated thousands of times throughout a career, causes bone and cartilage to break away. It usually comes from the back of the elbow. Those fragments can move around the joint, causing locking, entrapment, pain, and loss of range of motion.
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It’s not an uncommon injury for pitchers. Skubal himself has had major elbow problems before, including Tommy John surgery in 2017 and flexor tendon surgery in 2022. This procedure is generally considered less serious than either of them.
How serious is Tarik Skubal’s next operation?
Arthroscopic surgery is minimally invasive. Surgeons insert a small camera and instruments into the joint through small incisions to locate and remove the fragments. Recovery varies greatly depending on each pitcher. Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep underwent loose body surgery this spring within days of each other. Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list and two months later still had not pitched. Waldrep was throwing bullpen sessions within weeks. Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz underwent surgery in April and is expected to miss about four months.
Skubal’s situation will become clearer once he consults with doctors and schedules the procedure.
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1. Juan Soto, Mets – $61,875,000
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1. Juan Soto, Mets – $61,875,000
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2. Cody Bellinger, Yankees – $42,500,000
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3. Bo Bichette, Mets – 42 million dollars
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3. Zack Wheeler, Phillies – 42 million dollars
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5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays – 40,214,286 dollars
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6. Aaron Judge, Yankees – 40 million dollars
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7. Anthony Rendón, Angeles – $38,571,429
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8. Jacob deGrom, Rangers – 38 million dollars
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9. Mike Trout, Angeles – $37,116,667
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10. Gerrit Cole, Yankees – $36,000,000
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11. José Altuve, Astros – $33 million
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11. Kyle Tucker, Dodgers – 33 million dollars
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13. Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers – $32,500,000
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14. Francisco Lindor, Mets – $32,477,277
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15. Tarik Skubal, Tigers – $32 million
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16. Carlos Correa, Astros – $31,500,000
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16. Corey Seager, Rangers – $31,500,000
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18. Sonny Gray, Red Sox – $31 million
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19. Corbin Burnes, Diamondbacks – $30,790,069
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20. Giancarlo Stanton, Yankees – 29 million dollars
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21. Nathan Eovaldi, ranger – $28,536,643
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22. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers – $28,206,684
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23. Dansby Swanson, Cubs – 28 million dollars
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24. Carlos Rodón, Yankees – $27,833,333
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25. Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (*retired) – $27,814,045
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26. Bryce Harper, Phillies – $27,538,462
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27. Trea Turner, Phillies – $27,272,727
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28. Blake Snell, Dodgers – $27,152,056
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29. Kris Bryant, Rocky Mountains – 27 million dollars
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30. Yordan Álvarez, Astros – $26,833,333
Bottom line: Tarik Skubal’s injury will cost Tigers ace time in contract year
There were warning signs. In his last start, Skubal shook his left arm mid-inning, grabbed his forearm and called catcher Dillon Dingler to the mound. He stayed and finished seven innings and told reporters on May 3 that he felt good about his routine between starts. Later that day, however, Skubal told manager AJ Hinch that something had popped. Images were taken where the loose bodies were identified.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal pitches against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park.
It’s obviously a blow for the Tigers, but also for Skubal. He is in the final year of his contract and is expected to get one of the largest pitching deals in baseball history this offseason. The injury adds uncertainty to that outlook ahead of what should have been an exhibition season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal’s elbow surgery explained: What are loose bodies?
