The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers kicked off a three-game series Monday night at Comerica Park, but the story of the day wasn't just the final score—it was a bombshell that shook the baseball world before the first pitch even crossed the plate.

The game itself was a gritty affair, delayed by rain but ultimately delivering a 5-4 victory for Boston. Jarren Duran crushed a home run, while Wilyer Abreu and Marcelo Mayer each drove in runs to snap the Red Sox back into the win column. But the real drama unfolded hours earlier.

ESPN's Jeff Passan dropped the news: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow. The procedure is expected to sideline him for two to three months, a crushing blow for both the Tigers and the impending free agent.

"Detroit ace Tarik Skubal will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow," Passan reported. "Such procedures typically sideline players for 2-3 months. Skubal should return before season's end, but a tough blow for the impending free agent and two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner."

Skubal was originally scheduled to start Monday night, having already beaten the Red Sox earlier this season. Instead, the Tigers scrambled, turning to Tyler Holton as an opener before handing the ball to Ty Madden for five innings. For Boston fans, it was a fortunate twist—facing an elite arm was suddenly off the table—but the news cast a shadow over the series, reminding everyone of the fragility of even the game's brightest stars.