Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal followed his 2024 Cy Young campaign with more dominance in 2025. Taking home the AL Triple Crown last season with a 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts, and an 18-4 record, Skubal was even better by some metrics this year.
Logging career-bests in innings (195.1), strikeouts (241) and ERA (2.21), Skubal led Detroit to its second straight postseason appearance. In three October starts, the left-hander pitched 20.2 innings and surrendered just four earned runs while striking out 36 batters.
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Despite Skubal’s individual dominance, the Tigers lost his Game 5 start to the Seattle Mariners, ending their season and raising questions about the 28-year-old’s future.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) © David Dermer-Imagn Images
Speaking with reporters after Detroit was eliminated, Skubal did not say much about his MLB future. The six-year veteran is under contract for $22.5 million next season, but can enter free agency in 2027.
“That’s not my job, to do anything other than play,” Skubal said when asked if he will speak to the Tigers this offseason about his future (via Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic). “Those questions should be asked toward the front office and the people that make those decisions, but my job is to go out there and play.”
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Skubal also spoke candidly about what Detroit’s organizational goal should be, making it clear he expects to compete for a World Series.
“I think the World Series should be the standard, right?” he said via Evan Petzold of Detroit Free Press. “I think that’s why you play the game — to compete and win a World Series every year. I don’t think the ALCS should be the standard. I don’t really know if the ALDS should be the standard. The standard should be the World Series.”
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Skubal added, “It’s going to be up to a lot of the guys in this clubhouse. We’re young, coming back again. It’s going to be up to our offseason and how we attack it. For me, personally, get back in the gym, get my body underneath me and get ready to go again. I think the World Series should be the standard from everyone in this organization.”
Tarik Skubal’s Message to Detroit One Day After ALDS Elimination
On Saturday evening, Skubal took to Instagram where he bid farewell to the 2025 season with a three-word message for Detroit.
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“Thank you Detroit,” he wrote.
The post tallied over 15,000 likes in the first hour it was up, with hundreds of comments pouring in from Tigers fans — many of whom expressed concern this could be the end of his time in Detroit.
Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, the founder of Boras Corporation — a sports agency well-known for getting its athletes top dollar in free agency. As he prepares to take home a second straight Cy Young award, Skubal is one season away from free agency and what could be a record-setting contract for a starting pitcher.
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Tigers fans hope that deal will come from Detroit, but that isn’t something Skubal plans to discuss with management this winter.
Related: Tigers Announce Tarik Skubal News on Sunday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 12, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.