DETROIT -- The Tigers are expressing optimism about Tarik Skubal’s timetable for return after the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner began playing catch this week at the team’s Spring Training complex in Lakeland, Fla.
Skubal has started his throwing program about a week after undergoing surgery May 6 to remove a loose body from his pitching elbow. The Nanoscope procedure, which is less invasive and uses a smaller incision than a typical arthroscopic surgery, was hoped to result in a quicker resumption of activity.
“Significant news,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday afternoon, “just that it has increased his rehab progression to the next phase, which is really exciting. Obviously we thought this procedure would lead to a step-by-step process, and this next step is literally the throwing program. He initiated that earlier this week and will continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen [sessions].”
Skubal will increase his throwing distance -- usually 60 feet, then 75, then 90, 105 and 120 -- until he can begin throwing off a mound.
“He feels great,” Hinch said. “I was texting back and forth with him last night, and he feels super excited about just the general feeling [of throwing]. It doesn’t feel weird. It doesn’t feel awkward. It’s not guarded. I’ve seen video of it. We’re in touch with him daily about the program, and that sort of freedom, mentally and physically, I think is a great sign.
“We’ve been in touch with the doctor [Neal ElAttrache] and making sure that we’re going by the protocol, because it’s a unique set of circumstances of him throwing so soon in which the volume was not impacted.”
The Tigers have avoided releasing a timetable for Skubal’s return. Hinch has said they should get a better idea once Skubal gets into a throwing routine, which should tell how much he needs to build up his arm back to game shape.
“I think the big test will be moving to the mound at some point,” Hinch said Friday, “and then increasing that activity and seeing where he can enter the bullpen phase of his throwing. We’ll monitor it daily if there’s any sort of soreness, fatigue, lack of execution, things like that. We can get to the baseball once we clear the swelling.”