Skubal exits with left-side tightness, no structural damage

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal left his start Friday night in Miami after feeling tightness on the left side of his torso, but team officials said subsequent imaging showed no structural damage and he appears on track to resume pitching later this week. Skubal exited with one out in the fourth inning of an 8-2 loss to the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park after signaling to the dugout following a pitch and consulting briefly with manager A.J. Hinch and a trainer.

Skubal, 28, grabbed at his left side immediately after inducing a flyout on a changeup, and Detroit removed him after his 45th pitch. The left-hander had yielded four runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings in a rare rough outing during a season in which he has been dominant. The team announced he was under evaluation, and Hinch said a scan on Saturday showed no structural damage and confirmed tightness near the rib cage area. Skubal returned to Detroit after the exam and completed a bullpen session without soreness, prompting optimism that he will be available for his next scheduled start Thursday against Cleveland.

"We were all waiting for the scan and the evaluation and to have positive news is a good step forward," Hinch...