CHICAGO — Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is scheduled to pitch Sunday in an official game, thus beginning his rehab assignment.
The 26-year-old will start his rehab assignment with High-A West Michigan.
“It’s to ramp him up slowly off of a significant injury,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Friday. “He’ll go there and get a couple innings in. It fits into our (player development) system and fits into what we want him to do.”
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A rehabbing pitcher can be assigned to minor-league affiliates for a maximum of 30 days. Skubal, who underwent left flexor tendon surgery in August 2022, could return to the Tigers’ starting rotation at the beginning of July.
Skubal registered a 3.52 ERA with 32 walks and 117 strikeouts across 117⅔ innings in 21 starts last season. For his first rehab start, the Whitecaps are playing in Ohio against the Dayton Dragons.
At some point, Skubal will advance to Triple-A Toledo.
Right-hander Matt Manning, recovering from a right foot fracture, completed his first live batting practice session before the Tigers’ game Friday against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.
The 25-year-old, who hasn’t pitched in a game since April 11, is scheduled to throw another live BP in a few days at Citizens Bank Park during the Tigers’ three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“It was great,” Hinch said. “He looks great and looks like a normal pitcher.”
Riley Greene’s fibula
Outfielder Riley Greene‘s left fibula is still injured. After Greene received a second opinion, though, the Tigers’ description of the injury changed from a “stress fracture” to a “stress reaction.” A stress reaction is basically a precursor to a stress fracture, and it’s considered less severe.
He could miss four to six weeks.
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Greene — the Tigers’ best bat this season — is hitting .296 with five home runs, 21 walks and 64 strikeouts in 52 games. He hit .365 with a 1.008 OPS across 25 games in May.
The 22-year-old hasn’t played since leaving Tuesday’s game in the third inning.
He did not travel with the Tigers for the current six-game roadtrip.
Alex Faedo’s fingernail
Right-hander Alex Faedo won’t be placed on the injured list, but the Tigers have pushed back his next start because of right middle fingernail tenderness. He was lined up to start Sunday against the White Sox.
“A nail issue on the outside of his middle finger, almost like an ingrown nail,” Hinch said. “As he’s getting treatment, we want to be transparent that he’s going through it. We’re going to change our rotation a little bit.”
The 27-year-old reported the fingernail tenderness after Tuesday’s start against the Texas Rangers. He allowed six runs on seven hits and one walk with four strikeouts across 4⅓ innings.
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Left-hander Matthew Boyd will pitch Sunday against the White Sox, instead, followed by left-hander Joey Wentz on Monday against the Phillies. Righty Michael Lorenzen is starting Saturday’s game.
Faedo, who has a 5.54 ERA in five starts, is expected to pitch Tuesday.
“He’s going to get a couple extra days to let that thing heal up,” Hinch said. “It’s pretty tender, if you’ve ever had one.”
Other medical updates
• Right-hander Beau Brieske (right ulnar nerve entrapment) completed a bullpen session Thursday and is scheduled to throw another live batting practice Saturday. He has been stationed in Lakeland, Florida. The timetable for him to start a rehab assignment remains undetermined.
• Right-handed reliever Trey Wingenter (right biceps tendinitis), also rehabbing in Lakeland, completed a bullpen session earlier this week and is scheduled to throw another bullpen Saturday.
• Outfielder Matt Vierling (low back soreness) will be re-evaluated this weekend to begin a progression through baseball activities.
• Outfielder Kerry Carpenter (right shoulder sprain) has played five games — all of them as the designated hitter — during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo. The 25-year-old, who still hasn’t been cleared to throw, is hitting .211 with three walks and nine strikeouts in 22 plate appearances.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.