Detroit Tigers Ace, Best Pitcher in Baseball Avoid Arbitration on One-Year Deal

The Detroit Tigers have the best pitcher in Major League Baseball in Tarik Skubal. Most importantly, for a Tigers team that hasn’t been willing to spend, Skubal is cheap because he doesn’t hit free agency until 2027.

However, he’s still looking at more money than he’s ever made after inking a new deal on Thursday.

In his second stint in the arbitration system, Skubal earned a significant raise. According to ESPN’s Jeff PassanDetroit and Skubal avoided arbitration with a one-year, $10.15 million deal.

“AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a one-year, $10.15 million contract to avoid arbitration, sources tell ESPN. Skubal will get a big raise in his second time through the system. He’ll get one more try before you reach free agency after 2026.”

If Skubal had a $40-plus million AAV deal, he would still be the best pitcher in baseball. At $10.15 million, there is no debate that he is the most valuable arm in the league.

The 2024 American League Cy Young Award winner, the Tigers must eventually agree on a long-term deal to keep their ace in town for most of the next decade.

However, Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, and if the past tells Detroit anything, Boras’ clients never sign early.

The California native will eventually have every major market team in the game interested in him. Unless the Tigers finally decide to spend, others will likely have offers on the table for much more money.

That’s concerning, but if Detroit presents him with an offer he can’t refuse in the near future, maybe the two sides could work something out.

Boras hasn’t done it before, but would Skubal and Boras say no to becoming the highest-paid pitcher in baseball two years before free agency? Maybe not.