DETROIT – Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case agains the Detroit Tigers and will now make $32 million in 2026, according to a report.
Skubal, 29, filed for $32 million while the Tigers filed at $19 million. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Skubal successfully argued his case to the panel of judges, meaning they thought he deserved more than the midway point of $25.5 million.
It’s a precedent-setting arbitration case and a major win for players going forward.
The Tigers’ offer was based on a nearly decade-old record arbitration salary given to David Price. Skubal argued that, with inflation, that number would be around the $27 million mark in today’s game.
Clearly, the judges agreed, and the two-time defending Cy Young winner will make an extra $13 million as a result.
Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball, boasting a 2.39 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 571 strikeouts in 467.2 innings since returning from injury midway through the 2023 season.
He’s heading into the final year of team control for the Tigers and will hit the free agent market next offseason.
The Tigers now have over $70 million dedicated to their top two starting pitchers for 2026, as they made huge free-agent splash and landed Framber Valdez on Wednesday night.
Valdez reportedly got a three-year, $115 million deal from the Tigers, with an opt out after the second season. That translates to over $38 million per year, on average.
The Tigers enter spring training as the favorites to win the AL Central after back-to-back trips to the American League Division Series. They lost Game 5 both times and are hoping to advance further in Skubal’s final year.
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