The MLB winter meetings are this week in Orlando and one of the topics of discussion will be Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal.
He’s been the subject of trade rumors for weeks because the two-time Cy Young winner is a free agent after this season and the believe is that when he hits the market, he’ll command the biggest contract for a starting pitcher in baseball history. If the Tigers have no intention of re-signing him after 2026, then trading him makes sense. But, if Detroit wants to win in 2026, it needs Skubal.
Whether he stays — and he has clearly signaled he wants to, at least for 2026 — or goes, the Detroit Free Press believe he has done enough to be part of its all-time team, selected to go along with the franchise’s 125th anniversary of its first game in 1901.
Tarik Skubal and a Tigers All-Time Pitching Staff
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
The left-hander was the only active Tiger selected, though there are a couple of active former Tigers on the list. He’s not yet 30 years old but he’s already put himself among the greatest Tigers pitchers in history after winning back-to-back Cy Young awards in the American League.
He won the AL pitching triple crown in 2024, had the fifth-most strikeouts in Tigers history in 2025 with 241 punchouts and once again led the AL in ERA at 2.21. Should he continue this level of dominance for several more seasons, whether it be in Detroit or elsewhere, a place in Cooperstown could be waiting for him.
Skubal joined a list of Tigers legends in an admittedly bloated eight-man rotation. Hal Newhouser, a left-hander, was the franchise’s dominant pitcher during World War II and started the Tigers’ Game 7 victory in the 1945 World Series. He was also a two-time MVP.
Right-hander Justin Verlander is still pitching at age 42, but with the Tigers he won the AL MVP, Cy Young, rookie of the year award and threw two no-hitters. He pitched for the San Francisco Giants in 2024 and intends to pitch again in 2025.
Left-hander Mickey Lolich is the Tigers’ all-time leader in career strikeouts (2,679) and helped Detroit clinch the 1968 World Series title.
Right-hander Denny McLain was the Tigers’ last back-to-back AL Cy Young winner before Skubal. In 1968 he was the first pitcher to win 30 games since 1934.
Right-hander Jack Morris was the Tigers’ ace in their 1984 World Series season and went on to claim rings with the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Right-hander Dizzy Trout pitched in the same era as Newhouser and pitched 14 seasons for the franchise as a starter and reliever.
Another right-hander, Max Scherzer, was a trade acquisition who played five seasons, was part of a World Series team and won a Cy Young before he went on to Washington as a free agent. He pitched in the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays this season.
The bullpen selections started with John Hiller, who was a closer for the Tigers before being a closer was a thing and had 125 saves, though he finished 363 games.
Left-hander Willie Hernandez was the 1984 AL MVP and Cy Young winner after saving 32 games for the Tigers in their 1984 World Series run.
Right-hander Jose Valverde converted all 49 save chances in 2011.
Aurelio Lopez was another top reliever on the Tigers’ 1984 title team.
Todd Jones is the all-time leader in saves in Tigers history with 235 and was dubbed the “roller-coaster” by legendary announcer Ernie Harwell.
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