Tigers' Tarik Skubal News Emerges Before Guardians Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Trant | Last updated May 18, 2026 4:27 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers continue searching for consistency during a disappointing start to the 2026 MLB season, entering Monday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians in fourth place in the American League Central with a 20-27 record.

Injuries throughout the pitching staff have continued creating major problems for Detroit, particularly with ace left-hander Tarik Skubal remaining sidelined. With former All-Star pitchers Justin Verlander and Casey Mize each missing significant time, the Detroit pitching staff has yet to meet its preseason expectations. Skubal has not pitched for the Tigers since April 29, as he continues working through his recovery process after suffering left elbow discomfort that sent him to the injured list earlier this season.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29)© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

According to Tigers reporter Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, the 29-year-old star left-hander transferred his rehab work from Lakeland to Detroit and is scheduled to throw off a mound again on Monday.

“Tarik Skubal is transferring his rehab from Lakeland to Detroit. He’s already thrown off a mound once. He is doing so again today at Comerica Park,” Stavenhagen shared on X.

Tarik Skubal is transferring his rehab from Lakeland to Detroit. He’s already thrown off a mound once. He is doing so again today at Comerica Park
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) May 18, 2026

This update is another important step in the recovery process, and the Tigers are hoping to have one of baseball’s top starters back in the rotation soon, as they currently trail the division-leading Cleveland Guardians by 5.5 games.

Prior to the injury, Skubal held a 2.70 ERA and 0.946 WHIP in seven appearances on the mound. Once Skubal is healthy, he will be a major boost to a team vying to generate some consistency in their pitching rotation as they attempt to sneak into the playoff picture.

With Skubal now progressing to mound work in Detroit, the Tigers will continue closely monitoring the ace’s recovery process over the coming weeks.

The Tigers begin a four-game home series against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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