Tigers get the best possible news on Tarik Skubal

After missing a month of action while recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow, Tarik Skubal is set to return to the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation on Saturday (h/t The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen).  

The back-to-back American League Cy Young winner (2024 and 2025) made one rehab start with the Tigers' High-A affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, where he showed no signs of rust. Skubal tossed five innings, allowing two hits, no runs, no walks and struck out six. 

Skubal will be starting against the Tigers' division rival, the Cleveland Guardians, who will likely start left-hander Joey Cantillo. The Guardians are a half-game behind the Chicago White Sox in the division, whereas the Tigers are 8.5 games out and are watching their playoff hopes slip away. 

Before landing on the injured list, Skubal had been positioning himself to contend to win his third-straight Cy Young Award. The two-time All-Star was 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA, with 45 strikeouts and a .222 batting average against in 43 1/3 innings. 

Skubal underwent a new arthroscopic surgery procedure to remove the loose bodies from his elbow, considered to be less invasive. With Skubal's quick return, more pitchers could consider the procedure in the future. 

Tarik Skubal's return could prompt the Tigers to make a trade sooner rather than later

The big question surrounding the Tigers and Skubal is whether he will be traded by the Aug. 3 deadline. Sitting where they are, and with Skubal a pending free agent and seeking top dollar on the open market, the Tigers could benefit from a trade. 

With the deadline pushed back further than it normally is, Skubal's trade value decreases the longer the Tigers hold onto him. Given the factors in acquiring him, having the two-time ERA champion make 14 starts for a contending team is very different than nine starts. 

The haul in return for the best pitcher in baseball (depending on the day and who is asked) would help the Tigers in the long run. The Tigers can look to the White Sox as an example, who traded left-hander Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox for a package of prospects that are helping propel them into a playoff spot. 

The American League Central race is now starting to take shape after it was up for grabs not too long ago. With this, the Tigers need to decide what is the best option for the franchise: buying or selling, with selling the likely outcome.