Tarik Skubal's Last Stand: Detroit Lefty May Not Pitch Again at Comerica Park
Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers ace, may not pitch again at Comerica Park this season. The two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner made the candid admission after addressing the controversy surrounding his decision not to undergo an MRI last offseason.
The controversy erupted when Skubal told The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen that he felt like "something was wrong" in his pitching elbow in January but chose to ignore the symptoms rather than undergo the MRI. He instead underwent a novel treatment for loose bodies in May and missed a month and a half.
Skubal's comments sparked a backlash, with some suggesting that he was trying to downplay the severity of his injury. However, Skubal maintained that he had been trending in the right direction and had not considered an MRI at the time.
The Tigers are still multiple games out of a wild-card spot and are not expected to retain Skubal this offseason. Trading Skubal would net them immense prospect capital and/or real MLB contributors with more years of control. Skubal's comments about his possible final home start at Comerica Park have added to the speculation surrounding his future with the team.
When asked if his start on Friday could be his final home start at Comerica Park, Skubal conceded it was very possible: "That might be reality, a little bit, but also five days later is another one at home. I don't know the rotation or how that shakes out … That'll set in when it needs to set in, not right now."
The Tigers have nine games remaining until the trade deadline on Aug. 3. Skubal's comments have added to the uncertainty surrounding his future with the team, and fans are left wondering what will happen next.
Source: Yahoo Sports