Tigers' Tarik Skubal gets encouraging return timeline 

When it rains, it pours for the Detroit Tigers. A.J. Hinch's team is dealing with a plethora of injuries on the mound, including star hurler Tarik Skubal.

The two-time American League Cy Young winner just went under the knife to address a shoulder injury.

However, it looks like he might not be out for as long as the fans initially anticipated.

According to a report by MLB insider Jon Heyman, the superstar pitcher's surgery was a big success, and he'll be back way before the All-Star break.

Tarik Skubal may return in 4 to 6 weeks

"Tarik Skubal elbow surgery was such a success he could start working out within days, and two months is even seen as a conservative estimate for the 2-time Cy Young winner to return," Heyman shared on X. "4 to 6 weeks possible. One relatively small loose body was removed."

Of course, the Tigers must err on the side of caution with their best player, and they won't rush him back to the mound until he's as close to 100 percent as possible.

Skubal also knows he has to be extremely cautious with his workload this season. He's slated for a massive payday in free agency, but he has to stay healthy to shut down any potential doubts about a long-term commitment.

He's been tied up in trade rumors for a while now, but with the Tigers still in the race for the AL Central pennant, that doesn't look like a realistic possibility.

He hasn't been as sharp this season, logging a 3-2 record in 7 starts with a 2.70 ERA, 0.946 WHIP and 45 strikeouts on 43.1 IP, per Baseball Reference.

And while those would be career numbers for most hurlers, the bar is significantly higher for one of the most dominant pitchers of the past four years.