Detroit Tigers ace and two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will need arthroscopic surgery for loose bodies in his left elbow, manager A.J. Hinch said Monday.
Hinch told reporters that Skubal will have the procedure after his arm locked up Sunday and that it will be an "easy process and procedure." He was scheduled to start against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
Hinch did not give a timetable for Skubal's return, but the procedures typically sideline players for two to three months.
Skubal last pitched in a 4-3 victory against the Atlanta Braves last Wednesday, giving up two runs on five hits in seven innings while striking out seven. In that game, Hinch and a trainer visited the mound after Skubal rubbed his left arm after a 2-2 pitch in the seventh inning.
Skubal threw one warmup pitch, decided he was OK and struck out the side to end his night.
The Tigers have recalled right-hander Ty Madden, while left-hander Tyler Holton will serve as the opener for the second game in a row after pitching two-thirds of an inning in Sunday's 7-1 victory against the Texas Rangers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.