Tigers' Skubal exits early in loss to Twins

Pitcher fails to complete fifth inning as Detroit struggles to start season

Apr. 9, 2026 at 1:02am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery broken down into overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange, conceptually representing the Tigers' early-season woes.The Tigers' struggles continue as starting pitcher Tarik Skubal fails to make it through the fifth inning in another loss.Minneapolis Today

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal was unable to finish the fifth inning in his team's loss to the Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Skubal's early exit continued a difficult start to the season for the Tigers, who have struggled to find their footing in the early going.

Why it matters

The Tigers were expected to be a contender in the American League this season, but Skubal's struggles and the team's overall poor performance so far have raised concerns about their ability to live up to those preseason expectations. Skubal is a key part of the Tigers' rotation, so his inability to go deep into games is a worrying sign for the team.

The details

Skubal allowed four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three batters in his 4.1 innings of work. The Twins jumped on him early, scoring twice in the first inning and adding two more runs in the fifth before Skubal was pulled from the game. This continues a trend for the Tigers, who have now lost four of their first six games to start the season.

  • The game took place on Sunday, April 9, 2026.

The players

Tarik Skubal

The starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who was unable to complete the fifth inning in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Detroit Tigers

The Major League Baseball team that has struggled to a 2-4 record to start the 2026 season.

Minnesota Twins

The opposing team that defeated the Tigers on Sunday, handing Detroit its fourth loss of the young season.

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What they’re saying

“We have to find a way to get going. It's still early, but we need to start stringing some wins together.”

— A.J. Hinch, Tigers Manager

What’s next

The Tigers will look to bounce back in their next game against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, April 11.

The takeaway

Skubal's early exit and the Tigers' continued struggles to start the season have raised concerns about the team's ability to live up to preseason expectations and contend in the American League. The Tigers will need to find a way to turn things around quickly to avoid falling too far behind in the standings.