Tarik Skubal Missed a Deadline — Here’s Why His Tigers Return Is in Doubt

For a moment, it looked like the Detroit Tigers were about to welcome their ace back with open arms. Tarik Skubal’s latest rehab start was nothing short of electric — five shutout innings, two hits, zero walks, and six strikeouts. His fastball touched 99 mph, his command was surgical, and he made High-A hitters look utterly helpless.

But now, according to sources close to the situation, the biggest question isn’t whether Skubal can pitch — it’s when — and the answer is reportedly far from certain.

Manager AJ Hinch had originally hoped Skubal would need only one rehab start before rejoining the big league rotation. Yet, as The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen reported, the left-hander himself has thrown cold water on any definitive timeline.

“That’s a good question that I’m not going to answer,” Skubal told reporters. “There’s a plan in place. I need to wake up and feel good tomorrow and have a good week of work, and then we’ll make that decision when we need to make it.”

What does that mean for Friday’s potential start against the Cleveland Guardians? Insiders say it’s still possible — but only if Skubal’s body responds perfectly in the next 48 hours. And given the stakes of his return from elbow surgery, nobody inside the organization is willing to rush him.

One Tigers insider told us there is growing cautious optimism behind the scenes, but also a palpable fear: the last thing anyone wants is for Skubal to push too hard, suffer a setback, and lose the back-to-back Cy Young winner for even longer. The tension, sources say, is real.

“He looked like himself out there,” one scout reportedly said after watching the rehab start. “But the real test is how he feels two days later — not two hours later.”

Fans have been buzzing on social media, anxiously refreshing for any update. If Skubal gets the green light, he could face a Guardians lineup that has been surging in the AL Central standings — a matchup that suddenly feels like a potential season-defining moment for Detroit.

For now, the Tigers and their star pitcher are playing a game of wait and see. The finish line is in sight, but as Skubal himself admitted, the final step is entirely in his body’s hands.