Tarik Skubal, the ace of the Detroit Tigers and a two-time Cy Young winner, made his much-anticipated return to the mound on Saturday after a lengthy recovery following surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow. Although he faced challenges during his outing, the game revealed several positives for the Tigers.

In his first game back, Skubal took the loss in a 3-1 defeat against the Cleveland Guardians. He pitched 4 ⅔ innings, throwing 80 pitches and allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and a walk, while striking out four batters. While these numbers fall short of his usual performance, they must be viewed in the context of his recent surgery.

Key highlights from Skubal's return include:

• Velocity: He showcased impressive speed, averaging 97.8 mph on his four-seam fastball, up from 96.6 mph earlier this season. His sinker also clocked in at 98 mph, compared to a season average of 96.4 mph.
• Strikeouts: A standout moment was a nasty changeup that resulted in a swing-and-miss strikeout, demonstrating glimpses of his elite pitching skills.

However, there were signs that Skubal is still regaining his form:

• He allowed a home run on an 0-2 count, a rare occurrence in his career when he's at his best.
• His control was not quite up to par, with only 66.25% of his pitches being strikes, compared to his previous seasons where he averaged above 69%.

Having completed just one minor-league rehab start prior to this game, Skubal’s next outing is expected to see him push into the 90s in pitch count, potentially bringing him closer to his elite form.