Detroit Tigers’ star pitcher and two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, according to manager A.J. Hinch. The announcement came Monday (May 4) after Skubal experienced elbow pain on Sunday and subsequent medical tests revealed the injury.

Skubal had been scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night, but was scratched after his left arm locked up, leading to further evaluation. Manager Hinch told reporters, “Obviously, the 'pen has been leaned on quite a bit. There are guys that are not feeling at their best.”

Skubal will be placed on the injured list and is expected to consult with doctors to set a date for the procedure.

This type of elbow issue, where bone chips or loose bodies float in the joint, is not uncommon among pitchers. The surgery is considered less severe than Tommy John surgery, which Skubal previously underwent in college. Recovery from this arthroscopic procedure typically takes six to eight weeks, but building up pitching stamina again could mean Skubal misses a few months. If all goes well, he could return in July or August.

Skubal himself said, "From my understanding, you just go take it out. I think length of the rehab is probably just getting your Spring Training buildup up again, getting your volume up. But the procedure itself I think is pretty simple as far as what I've been explained."

In the meantime, right-hander Ty Madden has been called up from Triple-A Toledo to follow opener Tyler Holton for Monday’s game, making it a bullpen effort for Detroit.

There is no official timetable yet for Skubal’s return, but both team officials and medical staff hope the procedure allows him to rejoin the Tigers later in the season.

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