Skubal (elbow) tossed five scoreless innings Sunday in a rehab start with High-A West Michigan, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out six batters.
Back on the mound for the first time since undergoing surgery May 6 to remove a loose body from his left elbow, Skubal exhibited no signs of rust. Though he was facing off against lower-caliber competition, Skubal was supremely efficient, spotting 44 of his 54 total pitches for strikes. According to Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press, Skubal tossed an additional 15 pitches out of the bullpen following the start, so he could be stretched out enough to make his next appearance with the big club. The Tigers will presumably reassess Skubal in a bullpen session within the next few days, and if all goes well, he could rejoin the Detroit rotation as soon as Friday in Cleveland. Even if the Tigers elect to send Skubal out for another rehab start, he's still on track to easily beat his initial estimated recovery timeline of 2-to-3 months following surgery.