Tarik Skubal's Tigers injury scare was funniest accident possible

A Detroit Tigers series defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees could've been a lot worse had Tarik Skubal gone down with a serious injury. For a brief period of time, that appeared to be the case, as Skubal nearly left his eventual six-inning, four-run outing with what experts deemed a groin injury. Thankfully, Skubal was able to shake it off and stay in the game, which the Tigers ultimately lost, 4-2.

Had Skubal not gotten hurt, most of the questions lobbed AJ Hinch's way on Wednesday night would've been about losing momentum in a critical homestand against the Yankees and Astros. But considering Skubal already missed months of action with loose bodies in his elbow, the two-time AL Cy Young winner dominated the conversation. As it turns out, the Tigers have one less thing to worry about with Skubal, and a lot more to laugh about after a tough outing.

Why Tarik Skubal's injury was the funniest possible outcome for Tigers and MLB

Any additional injury to Skubal would essentially put the Tigers behind the eight ball on two fronts. First, Detroit still thinks they have a chance in the AL Wild Card race. That opportunity goes out the window if Skubal is forced to miss another extended period of time. Second, should the Tigers fail to make up more ground before, say, the MLB All-Star Break in mid-July, they would likely opt to sell high on Skubal. That can't happen if he's injured.

Skubal's injury status has ripple effects. If he's available and pitching like anything close to his normal self, then he can be a difference-maker in the postseason. Contenders like the Dodgers, Braves, Brewers and even Yankees could have serious interest.

Tarik Skubal wasn't in a laughing mood after Tigers loss

As for the left-handed ace himself, he didn't find his latest start all that amusing. Since Skubal returned from his loose bodies surgery, the Tigers have lost two of his three starts. While Skubal's effectiveness goes far beyond wins and losses, he knows time is of the essence in Motown.

“What matters right now is results, and I haven’t been good enough,” Skubal said. “I haven’t held up my end of the bargain in terms of what my team expects out of me, what I expect out of myself every time I’m out there. I’ll be better for it. It’ll continue to motivate me and push me to be a better version of myself. But unfortunately, our season is where it’s at. You can’t really dwell on process days."

For a player so used to perfection, Skubal has struggled to find his Cy Young groove since returning to the Tigers rotation. Fans have given him plenty of leeway, though its reassuring to know that even something as childish and hilarious as the 'injury' he suffered on Wednesday night — a sentiment that was echoed by his own manager in Hinch — didn't break Skubal's focus.

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