DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has started playing catch and soft tossing, just over a week after elbow surgery.
The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body in his pitching elbow, which was described as minimally invasive. When the Tigers placed the 29-year-old left-hander on the 15-day injured list in a move effective May 4, the team projected he would miss two to three months.
“Tarik has started his throwing program, which is significant news just that it’s increased his rehab progression to the next phase, which is really exciting,” manager A.J, Hinch said Friday. “We thought this procedure would lead to a step-by-step process and this next step is literally the throwing program. So he initiated that earlier this week and will continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen.”
Skubal felt irritation in his last start, on April 29 against Atlanta, but remained in the game and struck out the side in his seventh and final inning. He was scratched on the day of his next scheduled start.
“He obviously feels great,” Hinch said. "I was texting back and forth with him last night, and he was super excited about just the general feeling. It doesn’t feel weird, it doesn’t feel awkward. It’s not guarded.
“I’ve seen video of it. We’re in touch with him daily about the program,” Hinch added. “And that sort of freedom, mentally and physically, I think, is a great sign. We’ve been in touch with the doctor and making sure that we’re going by the protocol because this is a unique set of circumstances, throwing so soon.”
Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts, striking out 45 and walking six in 43 1/3 innings. He has a $32 million salary after winning in arbitration and is eligible for free agency after the World Series.
“If there’s any sort of soreness, fatigue, lack of execution, things like that, we can get to the baseball (part of the rehab) once we clear any of the swelling,” Hinch said.
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