Tarik Skubal arm injury scare casts pall over Tigers loss long before Braves walk-off

It's been an uneven start to the 2026 season for the Detroit Tigers, but Kevin McGonigle and Tarik Skubal are two of the primary reasons why there is an expectation that the Tigers can soon find themselves back at the top of the American League Central. A walk-off loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night certainly won't ease the early-season anxieties of the fanbase, but those were ratcheted up long before Matt Olson's laser landed in the bullpen, sometime around Tarik Skubal's first awkward arm shake.

During the seventh inning of Wednesday's loss, Skubal appeared to be in some discomfort after throwing a pitch to Olson, the Braves' first baseman. It was clear that something felt off, considering Skubal was shaking his left arm and rubbing his elbow. He was checked on by A.J. Hinch and the Tigers' training staff before remaining in the game. Not exactly what Tigers fans wanted to see the day after Casey Mize was forced to leave his start early.

The very last thing the Tigers need at this moment is an injury to Skubal. As long as he is healthy, Detroit is always going to be viewed as one of those teams that will eventually turn their season around. That is why there was probably some relief that Skubal not only remained in the game, but he struck out the side in the seventh inning to end his night (with representative velocity to boot).

In the moment, Hinch had a similar reaction as Tigers fans.

“I ran out there to make sure that everything was okay. It hasn't been a great last 24 hours for us medically,” Hinch told reporters. “He had a funny feeling on the outside of his arm, then he wanted to throw a pitch, and then he punched out the side. So we felt good about the way he ended, but certainly not fun walking out to the mound.”

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is ok after injury scare....we think

Skubal told reporters that he needed a little extra time before throwing his next pitch to Olson. Soon after being visited on the mound by Hinch and the training staff, the symptoms he was experiencing subsided.

On one hand, it's a sigh of relief. It would seem that Skubal and the Tigers avoided another serious injury, and the alarm bells can be silenced.

The concern is that Skubal clearly felt something to the extent that he realized he needed a moment before finishing the inning. No, it wouldn't be the first time that has happened in baseball, but elbow discomfort just doesn't suddenly disappear. In most cases, there could be an underlying reason for the concern. Nonetheless, for now, Skubal is still doing Tarik Skubal things.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow