Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers $250 Million Standoff Explained

Tarik Skubal is likely to win his second Cy Young in as many years, and is undoubtedly one of the two best pitchers in the entire sport. He’s due for a big pay day when he becomes a free agent after the 2026 season, but it’s starting to look like that pay day won’t be coming from the Detroit Tigers.

It was reported that negotiations between Skubal and the Tigers stalled after the sides offers were separated by $250 million. This is one of the least surprising outcomes in the Skubal negotiations because: One, he is represented by Scott Boras and every player represented by him will bleed their team for every single penny they can, and two, unlike his father, Tigers’ owner, Chris Illitch, isn’t willing to bring big money to the table like his father.

This leaves Detroit in an impossible situation. They can’t afford Skubal, and in their defense, maybe five teams in the sport could afford a guy like him. The issue is, there may not be a player more valuable player to a team that just made the playoff than Skubal is to the Tigers. He carried that pitching staff in the postseason, and did as good of a job as he possibly could to cover up the holes in this lineup.

The Tigers do have one of the better farm systems in the sport with guys like Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark on the verge of breaking into the big leagues, but there’s a real chance they won’t get to play with the best pitcher in the American League. If Detroit doesn’t feel like they can win a World Series, do they begin to think about moving Skubal this offseason or at the deadline?

Even if it was to a team renting Skubal on a on year deal, the haul they could get in return for a player they won’t be able to resign, might make it all worth it. If they could get a team from New York or the Dodgers to make a trade, then they could get a massive haul as they would become the favorites to resign him. Well, maybe not since I’m sure the Yankees assumed they would have Juan Soto for the rest of his career until Boras found him even more money with the Mets.

Baseball would be better if the Tigers could find a way to keep Tarik Skubal, and I believe if they can get close to his best offer he will stay in Detroit… unless Scott Boras has final say in who will sign his paychecks in 2027.