Are Tigers Finished if Tarik Skubal's Untimely Injury is Serious?
In this story:
The Detroit Tigers may have an incredibly serious situation on their hands which unfolded on Friday night against the Miami Marlins.
For the first time in his big league career, their workhorse superstar ace Tarik Skubal pulled himself out of the game after calling for a trainer following a pitch where he grabbed his side and looked to be -- in a best case -- in some real discomfort. Skubal would exit after just 3.1 forgettable innings, and now he leaves the Tigers with some very scary questions.
AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal left the game due to injury after reaching for the left side of his body after throwing a pitch pic.twitter.com/LTIZtiRC43
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 13, 2025
It should be noted that after the game, he did express optimism to the media that he's going to be okay and he pulled himself more as a precaution with the playoffs upon the team, however the way things go with pitching injuries, it feels scary enough that the possibility must be discussed.
It's a big if, but if Skubal is out for any sort of extended period, what real recourse does Detroit have, and would it be time to put a wrap on this special season before the playoffs even arrive?
Skubal Being Out Would Push Tigers to Brink Quickly
For all the pitching inconsistency and injuries this team has seen this year, Skubal has been the one guy they have been able to depend upon not only to be on the mound, but perform at an elite level when he is.
Losing both Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe for the entire season already had Detroit in a pretty significant bind they have had to do patch work on in the back of the rotation, however losing Skubal would obviously be a different level of devastation.
The soon-to-be repeat American League Cy Young winner has somehow been even better in 2025 than he was in 2024, but behind him, the rotation has been a bit of a roller coaster all year long. Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize have shown flashes, however neither veteran has been reliable and consistent enough to hope to anchor a playoff series.
Beyond the two of them, it would likely be veteran trade deadline acquisition Charlie Morton, followed by a whole lot of question marks and likely some pitching chaos to go along with them.
Skubal being out would take the one advantage that the Tigers have over virtually any team they could possibly be matched up with this October and instantly erase it. It's not to say they have no chance of doing anything in the playoffs without him, but the chances they are able to make a deep run instantly decrease drastically.
As fans await some more final news on their star ace, there is no need just just to smash that panic button. But the reality of what this pitching staff looks like with vs. without Skubal leads to two completely different outlooks, and it's something that must be discussed after the left-hander the game.
Until real news is given on his status, Detroit is in some major trouble which puts their season in serious jeoprady.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.