The Detroit Tigers made a bold statement this week when they signed Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal. The Tigers currently have the best starting pitcher on their roster, and it is not Valdez. It is Tarik Skubal, the 2024 and 2025 American League Cy Young winner. 

The Tigers have Skubal under contract through the 2026 season before he becomes a free agent. Since the past season ended, there have been numerous stories about the Tigers trying to trade away their back-to-back Cy Young winner because they are unwilling to pay what he deserves.

The Tigers and Skubal had their arbitration meeting the day they signed Valdez, where Skubal filed for $32 million for his final season with the Tigers, and the Tigers had him at $19 million, a large discrepancy that looks like a slap to the face of Skubal.

Now that slap looks like several slaps as the Tigers went out and paid Valdez for more than what Skubal was even seeking.

Skubal will play for the Tigers in 2026 as of now, as he has won his arbitration case. He will still be a free agent once the season ends and will be looking at a $50 million a year type pay day. The only team that seems to be able to land these deals over and over again is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

More MLB Content From TWSN:

Detroit Tigers Send Strong Message To Tarik Skubal By Signing Framber Valdez: We Don’t Need You

The Chicago Cubs Made A Mistake Signing Alex Bregman

Team USA Will Fall Short Again In The World Baseball Classic

Why The Los Angeles Dodgers Will Sign Tarik Skubal in 2027

Tarik Skubal made his major league debut during the 2020 shortened COVID season with the Detroit Tigers and really did not see success early on. It wasn’t until his fourth season in the MLB, when he only started 15 games that season, that he was starting to figure it out.

In those 15 starts, he posted a 2.80 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched. That 2023 season would set him up for superstar success the next two seasons.

Since the 2024 season, Tarik Skubal has undoubtedly been the best pitcher in all of baseball. He pitched over 190 innings in both seasons and led the league in WAR and ERA. Starting 31 games both seasons, Skubal has shown he can do it over and over again and is set to prove it again in 2026.

The Tigers seemed shy about paying Skubal, as he will turn 30 this upcoming season, but then they went and paid a top-tier starting pitcher deal to Framber Valdez, who is three years older than Skubal. 

Skubal has more than 300 innings pitched less than Valdez in their careers. Skubal’s prime days are right now, and with starting pitchers lasting longer than ever, it is shocking the Tigers did not lock him up and instead went and signed someone older who will be in a similar price range.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the team willing to pay players what they are worth, with their ability to set up deferral payments. If Skubal reaches free agency, there are only a few teams that will be in the market. It will be the Dodgers, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets. That may be it. Recent history has shown the Dodgers win these challenges.

What is Tarik Skubal’s Market Value?

Tarik Skubal will be 30 years old when he becomes a free agent. With two shortened seasons out of six in his career. He still has a lot of innings left in his career. If Framber Valdez is set to earn $38 million a year at 32 years old, Skubal should be getting north of $50 million.

Spotrac.com, though, has a different opinion on his market value, and it may be because of the length of the deal.

They have the market value at just under $300 million and project him to sign an eight-year deal, putting him at an annual average salary of $37.5 million, which is less than Valdez’s current deal. Expect Skubal to be looking at either six years for that total value or eight years at $400 million. 

The only team that can make this work proved it this offseason after adding more superstars when they just won the World Series. The Dodgers’ signing of Kyle Tucker proved they can sign anyone, and the Dodgers will sign Tarik Skubal in 2027.

 

Related