Tarik Skubal tosses five-inning shutout in first rehab start

Tarik Skubal pitching during rehab start with West Michigan Whitecaps
Tarik Skubal pitching during rehab start with West Michigan WhitecapsIsaac Ritchey / CTK / AP

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal tossed five shutout innings in his first rehab start on Sunday as he makes his way back from elbow surgery.

Skubal, 29, gave up just two hits on 54 pitches (45 strikes) in the outing with the West Michigan Whitecaps (High-A) in their matchup against the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds). 

"There's a plan in place," said Skubal, regarding when he'll make his way back to the Tigers' rotation. "I need to wake up and feel better, feel good tomorrow, and have a good week of work, and then we'll make that decision when we need to make it. It doesn't really do me any good to tell you guys when I'm pitching next. I need to make sure that I bounce back from this one really well."

The back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner for best pitcher was tossing a 2.70 earned run average this season in seven starts for the Tigers before needing surgery. 

Skubal needed "loose bodies", which could include bone chips and/or cartilage fragments, removed from his throwing elbow (left).

The Tigers went 6-22 in May (4-1 in June so far) without Skubal in the rotation. They currently sit in fourth place out of five in the American League Central division with a 27-39 record after defeating the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. 

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