Mintz and Shusterman discuss Skubal’s early return — Wbz News
wbz news: Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discussed Tarik Skubal’s potential early return on Baseball Bar-B-Cast, pairing that update with a broader look at baseball’s early-season picture. The hosts also gave an update on Skubal’s injury after elbow surgery, keeping his status at the center of the episode.
The discussion matters because the episode tied Skubal’s return timeline to the rest of the league’s changing picture, including the NL Cy Young race, which they said is shaping up to be an all-timer. For a pitcher working back from surgery, any shift in that timeline changes how quickly he can re-enter the conversation around the season’s top arms.
Baseball Bar-B-Cast on Skubal
Mintz and Shusterman did not limit the episode to one player. They also discussed the CBA proposals exchanged this week, broke down the month of May from Cristopher Sánchez, and looked at Dylan Crews getting called up. Their rundown put Skubal’s situation alongside several other developments that are moving right now.
They also took an early look at the MLB Draft, recapped Rivalry Weekend, and previewed the showdown between the Dodgers and Padres this week. The hosts summarized the movie Miracle with the line, “You don't have enough talent to win on talent alone.”
May and the NL Cy Young race
The episode also pushed beyond Skubal to the broader race shaping the league. Mintz and Shusterman said the NL Cy Young race is shaping up to be an all-timer, and they mentioned Chris Sale, Mason Miller and Yoshinobu Yamamoto as players making things interesting in the early going.
They reviewed the Chicago Cubs and their winning streak, saying the team sat atop the NL Central with the best record in baseball. They also discussed the Tampa Bay Rays, the New York Yankees calling up top prospect Spencer Jones, and the current standings in baseball.
Rivalry Weekend and beyond
Mintz and Shusterman previewed the 2026 MLB Rivalry Weekend and were joined by Marlins slugger Liam Hicks. They also looked at the Mets’ month of April and made their picks for The Good, The Bad & The Uggla.
Skubal’s early-return discussion stood out because it came with an injury update after elbow surgery, not just a passing mention. For listeners tracking pitching availability, the takeaway is straightforward: his return remains part of the conversation, and the hosts placed it among the week’s most relevant baseball updates.
