When the Detroit Tigers got the news that Tarik Skubal was heading to the injured list, it felt like a gut punch. The back-to-back Cy Young winner and undisputed ace of the staff is dealing with loose bodies in his elbow, sidelining him for an estimated two to three months. For a team with playoff aspirations, losing your best arm for that long is brutal—no two ways about it.

But here’s the twist: what looks like a short-term disaster might actually open a door for the Tigers in the long run.

Skubal, now 30, is in the final year of his club control. This winter, he was set to hit free agency as one of the most coveted arms on the market. Teams would have lined up with blank checks, and Detroit—a smaller-market club—would have had to fight to keep him. But this injury changes the calculus.

An older pitcher coming off an elbow issue? That’s a red flag for many suitors. Suddenly, the bidding war Skubal might have commanded could cool down. And that’s where the Tigers have an opening. Instead of losing him to a mega-deal, Detroit might now have a real chance to bring him back on a "prove-it" deal—a shorter, more team-friendly contract that lets him rebuild his value while staying in a familiar uniform.

Of course, this isn’t a guarantee. Skubal could still decide to test the market, and the Tigers lose the leverage of trading him mid-season if their year goes south. But in a sport where every silver lining matters, this injury might just give Detroit the window they needed to keep their ace for the long haul.