Skubal (elbow) has been focused on forearm- and grip-strengthening work at this stage of his rehab program and has yet to resume throwing, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Skubal is on the mend from the season-ending surgery he underwent Aug. 17 to repair the flexor muscle in his left elbow. The procedure typically doesn't carry as lengthy of a recovery timeline as Tommy John surgery, but it's worth noting that former Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd had the same flexor tendon surgery Sept. 27 of last year and didn't begin a minor-league rehab assignment until more than 10 months later. Skubal won't necessarily face a similar recovery timeline, but the young left-hander should be expected to open 2023 on the injured list and miss a large chunk of the upcoming season.