Skubal Set to Return After Minor Injury Concern

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has confirmed he is on track to take the mound for the team on Thursday following his recent bout with left side tightness. In a statement after his bullpen session on Tuesday, Skubal expressed confidence: "Everything felt good. It was one of those weird things. I don't really know how to explain it. Bullpen went well. Scans came back good. It's on to the next one," according to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic.

The left-hander had exited his previous outing against the Miami Marlins in the fourth inning due to the discomfort but received promising news as imaging showed no significant issues. Continuing with his preparation, Skubal completed his regular bullpen session on Monday without any setbacks.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch shared his optimism regarding Skubal, noting, "It was a good bullpen. It was very normal, which is always great to see. Obviously we said we're gonna go day-by-day, and we have. Now it's the post-throwing day, which is all going well from what I've been told. We're inching closer to when his start day would be. So I was obviously thrilled with the news that things were looking positive. And then when you go out there and see him, it makes everybody feel better."

This development is particularly reassuring for the Tigers, as Skubal's quick recovery means he is not at risk of an extended absence. Earlier in the season, he faced some challenging moments, allowing four earned runs with only two strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work against Miami before his early exit.

The reigning American League Cy Young Award winner has consistently impressed this season, boasting a remarkable 13-5 record across 29 starts, with a stellar 2.26 ERA and an impressive 0.862 WHIP. He also leads MLB with an average of 11.0 strikeouts per nine innings, alongside a mere 1.4 walks, highlighting his dominant performance on the mound. Opposing hitters are managing just a .197 batting average against him this season.

As the Tigers maintain a solid 6.5-game lead in the AL Central standings, the possible return of their ace ahead of the postseason is an encouraging sign for the team and its fans.