One of the big stories this offseason involves two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who’s heading into his final year of team control with the Detroit Tigers. They’ve had trouble extending him and appear to be far apart in negotiations, leading some to wonder if they’ll consider trading him this winter rather than risk losing him for nothing next year.
Given that the Tigers presumably want to contend next season, coming off back-to-back playoff appearances, it would take a lot for them to move Skubal and give up arguably the best pitcher in baseball. However, anything is possible, especially if somebody blows them away with an offer they can’t refuse.
MLB Execs Predict Skubal’s Fate
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ESPN recently polled 16 MLB executives about several major offseason storylines, including what Detroit will do with Skubal this winter.
The survey question was “What will the Tigers do with Tarik Skubal this offseason — trade him, extend him or let it play out?”
Our annual hot stove survey of (16) MLB execs dropped today. Among questions we put to them: Where will star free agents sign? Who are the top trade candidates? And will the Tigers move Skubal? (most said no). Story here, free for all: https://t.co/oAFloW9Z9M
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) November 26, 2025
The overwhelming majority said “let it play out,” which received 10 of 13 votes. Three respondents said “trade him,” while zero responded “extend him.”
These results aren’t too surprising. Detroit doesn’t have to do anything with Skubal this offseason if it doesn’t want to. He still has one more year of team control, so there’s no need to trade him just yet.
The Tigers have a good team and are planning to contend next year. If they get off to a bad start and fall out of the playoff race early on, they could still try to trade Skubal at the deadline.
What Will Detroit Do With Skubal?
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While trading Skubal is unlikely, it’s not completely off the table. Several big-market teams have expressed interest in him this winter and could be gearing up to offer some enticing trade packages for him.
Even if the Tigers would prefer not to trade Skubal, they still have to at least consider any serious offer that comes their way, especially if they’re not confident in their ability to extend or re-sign Skubal.
Detroit could get a serious haul for its ace, and it may be worth sacrificing one year of him in exchange for several top prospects or other valuable assets.
None of the respondents predicted an extension, which is disappointing for Tigers fans, but also not surprising. Skubal doesn’t have much incentive to sign an extension now that he’s only one year away from free agency, nor is he willing to take a hometown discount.
Detroit would have to give him one of the biggest contracts in MLB history to keep him, and it may not be a good idea for a mid-market team to devote so much of its resources to one player.
Accordingly, it would be surprising if the two sides agreed to an extension this winter. It’s far more likely the Tigers hang on to Skubal and see what happens next year.
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