Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made his annual offseason return to Motown this past weekend. Skubal is arguably the most dominant athlete across all four major sports in Detroit at the moment, but while he’s a two-time AL Cy Young winner and perhaps the top trade asset in baseball, he’s also a sports fan.
That’s why Skubal made appearances at a Pistons game, a Lions game and even watched Michigan State vs Oakland at Little Caesars Arena. The bad news is that Skubal wasn’t on a business trip. No extension was signed with the Tigers, nor was his future.
What’s the deal with the Tigers and Tarik Skubal?
Division Series – Detroit Tigers v Seattle Mariners – Game Five | Alika Jenner/GettyImages
Sadly, the deal hasn’t changed. Skubal will be a free agent after the 2026 season. He is a Scott Boras client, meaning he is likely to test free agency. The Tigers, currently run by Chris Ilitch, aren’t ones to spend $400 million on a starting pitcher. There’s not much more to add.
Trade rumors are intensifying around Skubal. At the Winter Meetings, one clear takeaway was that the Tigers went from not discussing Skubal’s status with the team publicly to all but declaring he was available. In fact, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris went as far as to say no player was off-limits. That’s not what Skubal wanted to hear, but it’s also the reality of the Tigers situation.
If Skubal won’t sign a team-friendly extension (not gonna happen) and Harris can’t get the money needed from ownership to give him $400 million (also not gonna happen), then why play this game of chicken in the first place? There are plenty of contenders will to give up a haul for Skubal. Detroit ought to hear them out, as painful as that may be.
Tarik Skubal takes in the Detroit sports scene while he still can
2025 Grapefruit League Spring Training Media Day | Mike Carlson/GettyImages
Say what you want about the Tigers front office, but there’s one big reason Skubal visited Detroit this past weekend. The sports scene is electric, especially when either the Pistons or Lions are among the league’s best. In this case, both teams are exceptionally talented. The Pistons have the best record in the Eastern Conference, while the Lions are fighting for their playoff lives and have the best offense in the NFL.
Skubal was honored at every game he went to. At the Pistons game, he helped divvy out t-shirts to adoring fans. With the Lions, he was shown on the big screen and received resounding cheers. There is little doubt Detroit fans love Skubal. By all accounts, Skubal enjoys playing in Motown as well. Where matters get a little complicated is money, and market size.
The Tigers are a mid-market team at best, and when they don’t have an owner willing to spend his entire fortune on the organization, this is what the end product looks like. Detroit, much like AL Central foes Cleveland and Kansas City, can only retain talent on their terms. That’s why trading Skubal is so enticing – there’s a good chance they can acquire MLB-ready players who can help them replace their ace on the fly, even if it takes a couple years.
The pain is real for Tigers fans. When Skubal is traded or leaves on his own volition, it will hurt, if only because the player himself embodied everything this city stands for.
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