DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are showing signs of life after a difficult spring, and help is on the way.
Detroit improved to 7-2 in June and secured its third consecutive series victory with an 11-0 win over the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park on Thursday (June 11).
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🙂↕️ pic.twitter.com/fbuNVuiy5B
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 11, 2026
The Tigers, now 29-40, have already surpassed their win total from May, when they endured a 6-22 stretch that dropped them well below .500.
Ahead of Thursday’s game, the club announced that ace pitcher Tarik Skubal is expected to return to the mound Saturday (June 13) against the Cleveland Guardians, marking his first major league appearance in 38 days.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner underwent surgery in early May to remove loose bodies from his pitching elbow after being scratched from a scheduled start against the Boston Red Sox on May 4.
Tarik Skubal will start in Cleveland against the Guardians on Saturday, just 38 days after undergoing surgery to remove a loose body from his left elbow. pic.twitter.com/exUwl4rFgF
— MLB (@MLB) June 11, 2026
Before the injury, Skubal was among the American League’s top pitchers, posting a 2.70 ERA with 45 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings.
Concerns surfaced during his April 29 start against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, when he appeared to shake his left forearm in discomfort before being examined by trainers.
Skubal remained in the game and finished the inning, striking out seven while allowing two runs over seven-plus innings in a 4-3 loss.
Following surgery, the Tigers mapped out a gradual throwing progression before assigning Skubal to a minor league rehabilitation stint.
His rehab included appearances with the West Michigan Whitecaps and the Toledo Mud Hens.
In his most recent outing with West Michigan on June 7 against the Dayton Dragons, Skubal tossed five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out six.
Reports indicated his fastball ranged from 97 to 99 mph.
He also impressed during a rehab start with Toledo, throwing three scoreless innings against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Skubal allowed one hit, walked none, and struck out five as the Mud Hens earned an extra-inning victory.
The return of Skubal comes at a critical time for Detroit, which is attempting to climb back into contention after its difficult May.
The Tigers have won seven of their first nine games in June and appear to be gaining momentum as one of baseball’s top pitchers prepares to rejoin the rotation.
If Skubal can quickly regain the form that made him one of the game’s most dominant starters, his return could provide a significant boost for a Tigers club looking to continue its recent turnaround.