Will Tigers trade Tarik Skubal before free agency? MLB insider speaks
USA TODAY Sports baseball insider Bob Nightengale joins “Days of Roar” podcast to answer several questions about Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal, who can become a free agent after the 2026 season.
No news is bad news.
There’s no better way to describe the contract situation between the Detroit Tigers and back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.
The 29-year-old left-hander spent the weekend in Detroit with close friends, taking in four sporting events involving five in-state teams: On Saturday, it was a doubleheader at Little Caesars Arena of Michigan State and Oakland in college basketball plus the NBA’s Pistons hosting the Charlotte Hornets. Then on Sunday, he caught a matinee with the NHL’s Red Wings and Washington Capitals at LCA and a late afternoon stop at Ford Field to catch the NFL’s Lions against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also checked in at his usual workplace, Comerica Park, to work out in the weight room.
The bad news: Skubal didn’t sign a contract extension with the Tigers.
Tarik Skubal throws the football after Lions crushing loss to Steelers
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws passes at Ford Field in Detroit, after the Lions’ 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dec. 21, 2025.
General manager Jeff Greenberg was asked Monday, Dec. 22, if there was any reason to read into Skubal’s presence in Detroit over the weekend – a question that hinted at a possible contract extension.
Greenberg shot down the speculation.
It wasn’t a business trip.
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“No, I think he just wanted to catch the Detroit sports scene,” Greenberg said.
Not only did Skubal attend four games, but he also crossed paths with some of Detroit’s biggest sports figures, headlined by Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Lions coach Dan Campbell.
Izzo even made a pitch to keep Skubal with the Tigers.
“Did you ask him if he was going to stay? Because I did,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe told reporters Saturday during a combined postgame press conference with Izzo. “He goes, ‘I’m under contract for one more year.’ I said, ‘Yeah, we all know that.'”
“I told my guys to hug and kiss him to keep him around,” Izzo said, “so maybe they will.”
But Skubal’s visit wasn’t about contract negotiations.
He was in the Motor City for fun, hosting close friends on their second annual offseason trip to Detroit. He grew up in Kingman, Arizona, but he lives in Phoenix. After the weekend, Skubal returned to Phoenix to continue his offseason program with his trainers, golf with his friends and spend time with his family.
In Detroit, Skubal didn’t just watch the games.
He participated in T-shirt tosses at LCA during both the basketball games. He also pumped up the crowd at Ford Field with an appearance on the video board during the Lions game, then played catch with a football on the field afterward.
“He’s obviously a huge sports fan,” Greenberg said. “He means so much to the community. It was cool to see the images of him. He caught a Michigan State basketball game, a Pistons game, a Wings game and a Lions game. So credit to him for the endurance on that one. But yeah, big sports weekend in Detroit, and he wanted to catch some action.”
The Tigers are listening to trade offers for Skubal.
But a trade seems unlikely.
From 2024-25, Skubal posted a 2.30 ERA with a 4.5% walk rate and 31.2% strikeout rate across 387â…“ innings in 62 starts, winning back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards for his performance. He led the AL with a 2.39 ERA in 2024 and a 2.21 ERA in 2025.
Skubal – represented by agent Scott Boras – projects to become the first pitcher in MLB history to receive $400 million in free agency, but only if the Tigers let him reach the open market after the 2026 season.
So far, there’s no reason to believe an extension is coming.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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