Tigers Superstar Tarik Skubal Getting Evaluated After Leaving Game With Injury
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The Detroit Tigers are trying to lock up the AL Central race to ensure they are going to play in the postseason for the second time in two years. Considering where this franchise has been for the majority of the last decade, that is a huge feat.
With a comfortable lead in the division, it's only a matter of time before the Tigers secure first place. But how they perform in the playoffs this time around is the major question after they came one win away from reaching the American League Championship Series last year.
Already struggling to field a consistent rotation around Tarik Skubal, the entire organization and fanbase has to hold their breath when it comes to the health status of their superstar ace after he exited Friday's game with an apparent injury.
Tarik Skubal grabbed his left side after the last pitch he threw pic.twitter.com/HpCA9yCUm0
— Cody Stavenhagen (@CodyStavenhagen) September 13, 2025
Skubal left in the fourth inning after recording one out in the frame. He grabbed his left side following a pitch, which prompted the training staff and manager A.J. Hinch to come out and take a look at him. The reigning AL Cy Young winner exited his outing after that.
The Tigers then announced that Skubal is dealing with "tightness in his left side" and is "currently under evaluation" as they try to assess the extent of the injury.
Naturally, that will make everyone worried. There is not a more important player to the success of Detroit going forward than Skubal, who was the anchor of the rotation in October last year which allowed Hinch to work around their limited starting staff.
What's Next for Tigers After Tarik Skubal Injury?
It's way too early at the time of writing to say anything with certainty. But if this is a serious injury, then it goes without saying the Tigers are going to be in real trouble going forward. With that being said, it's best to wait for an update before surmising anything dire at the moment.
The hope is that this is nothing major, and if he does have to miss any time, it will be minimal so he can return to the mound before the end of the regular season to get a tune up start before the playoffs get underway.
In the meantime, Detroit will now be heavily relying on Jack Flaherty to be the guy they expected him to be when they signed him to a deal this past winter. The veteran right-hander has had an up and down campaign thus far, but he's been much better to start September with a 3.86 ERA across his two outings.
