The Detroit Tigers know how important Tarik Skubal is to the team, their championship aspirations and frankly their future success. So the best way they could show him their appreciation is to not waver off a $19.8 million offer to avoid arbitration. That didn’t work so ahead of the arbitration hearing, the Tigers filed a $19 million offer.
That’s a slap in the face to both Skubal and quite frankly the fan base. Essentially they’re saying, “We’re being cheap and there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Being good isn’t cheap, ask the LA Dodgers, who seemingly have bulletproof funds to add to an already expensive and already championship-winning roster. No, I’m not saying the Tigers have to throw money around like the Dodgers, but they will have to spend if they want to lessen the gap between them and every other championship contender. That disrespectful arbitration filing is not a wise move.
Why Detroit’s arbitration offer will signal the beginning of the end of Tarik Skubal in Mo-town
No matter what the panel of three arbitrators decide to do – value Skubal over $25.5 million and award him $32 million or side with the Tigers – this will probably be Skubal’s last season in Detroit, assuming he isn’t traded before the 2026 deadline. If Detroit is hesitant to pay Skubal what he feels he’s worth now, it absolutely won’t pay him what he’s worth in a year. Contract negotiations have stalled and going to arbitration all but proves the Tigers are hoping they put it all together this season.
If they actually go on a playoff run this year and possibly reach the World Series with Skubal, maybe it was worth it. If they don’t, which is more likely than not based on how things have gone recently with Detroit’s playoff success, then all of this proves the Tigers aren’t ready to get to the next level.
For Detroit to drop its offer by $800,000 is more petty than anything. The Tigers are not only saying he’s not worth the highest contract in arbitration and the highest pay increase during arbitration years as well. They’re also saying if we’re not willing to meet you halfway now, we’re not going to be friendly during extension talks either.
This was a pivotal moment for the Tigers and they failed. They aren’t ready to compete with the big teams and how they’re dealing with Skubal only proves they’re fine with being mediocre.
Detroit should look to trade Tarik Skubal regardless of how arbitration hearing goes
Detroit proved they want nothing to do with Skubal long term based on how arbitration talks went so it’s best for them to just maximize his value via a trade. The Tigers probably aren’t going to do much this postseason after last year’s near historic start was shattered into a million shards by the end of the regular season.
Trading Skubal now avoids anything like injuries or a down year – if that’s even possible for a player that’s won back-to-back AL Cy Young awards – depleting his value before the deadline. He’s not going to take any sort of discount thanks to how things have played out and quite frankly he shouldn’t. He’s been one of baseball’s most dominant arms, either compensate him now, give him a worthy extension or cut your losses.
The Tigers put themselves in this position and they are only making it worse. Keeping Skubal this season is just delaying the inevitable. Skubal will be in new threads when he hits unrestricted free agency after the World Series.
How things go until then, will determine if Detroit can salvage what’s left of their relationship or show just how cruel they are to their star players.