{"id":521183,"date":"2026-01-15T05:10:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T05:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/521183\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T05:10:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T05:10:21","slug":"tigers-offered-tarik-skubal-19-8m-then-filed-for-less-in-arbitration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/521183\/","title":{"rendered":"Tigers offered Tarik Skubal $19.8M, then filed for less in arbitration"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Detroit Tigers<\/a> believe left-hander Tarik Skubal<\/a> is worth $19.8 million this year, but that’s not what they offered him in arbitration.<\/p>\n

The Tigers ultimately filed at $19 million and Skubal filed at $32 million<\/a> before the deadline on Thursday, Jan. 8, to exchange salary figures for an arbitration hearing.<\/p>\n

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Here’s the catch: The Tigers previously offered Skubal $19.8 million for the 2026 season in negotiations leading up to the deadline, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who could not speak publicly.<\/p>\n

The two sides were never close to avoiding arbitration.<\/p>\n

BUCKLE UP: Tarik Skubal, Tigers can’t agree on 2026 salary. Here’s what happens<\/a><\/p>\n

Skubal \u2013 the first back-to-back American League Cy Young winner since right-hander\u00a0Pedro Mart\u00ednez<\/a>\u00a0in 1999-2000 \u2013\u00a0is represented by agent Scott Boras<\/a>, while the Tigers are led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In 2025, Skubal earned $10.15 million.<\/p>\n

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The declined $19.8 million offer from the Tigers for 2026 would’ve allowed Skubal to set two arbitration records \u2013\u00a0becoming the highest-paid arbitration-eligible pitcher, surpassing left-hander David Price<\/a>‘s $19.75 million salary in 2015, and securing the largest raise for an arbitration-eligible pitcher, surpassing right-hander Jacob deGrom<\/a>‘s $9.6 million increase in 2019.<\/p>\n

\"Detroit<\/p>\n

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal with Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell before the Lions game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025.<\/p>\n

By offering $19.8 million, the Tigers believe Skubal is worth just $50,000 more in 2026 than Price was in 2015, but Skubal and Boras believe he’s worth significantly more than that.<\/p>\n

Adjusted for inflation, Price’s $19.75 million salary in 2015 would be worth approximately $27 million in 2026 \u2013\u00a0well above the Tigers’ valuation of Skubal in his third and final year of arbitration.<\/p>\n

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Simple inflation appears to be just one of many reasons why Skubal didn’t accept the $19.8 million offer from the Tigers before Thursday’s deadline.<\/p>\n

[ MUST LISTEN:\u00a0Make\u00a0“Days of Roar”<\/a>\u00a0your go-to Tigers\u00a0podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>)\u00a0]<\/p>\n

After failed negotiations, the Tigers and Skubal filed $13 million apart at Thursday’s arbitration deadline, setting the stage for a February showdown that will set a precedent for how superstar pitchers like Skubal (and eventually right-hander Paul Skenes<\/a>) are treated in arbitration.<\/p>\n

It’s the largest gap since salary arbitration came to baseball in February 1974.<\/p>\n

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If Skubal wins, he will earn $32 million from the Tigers in 2026 and become the highest-paid arbitration-eligible player in MLB history, surpassing outfielder Juan Soto<\/a>‘s $31 million salary in 2024.<\/p>\n

DIDN’T EVEN TRY: Tigers weren’t in Alex Bregman talks before five-year, $175 million contract with Cubs<\/a><\/p>\n

The panel of three arbitrators must determine at the February hearing whether Skubal is worth more or less than the $25.5 million midpoint. If he’s worth more, they will select his $32 million proposal; if less, they will select the Tigers’ $19 million proposal.<\/p>\n

The panel isn’t allowed to choose a salary in between $19 million and $32 million.<\/p>\n

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In this case, Skubal is risking $800,000 (the difference between the Tigers’ $19.8 million offer and the Tigers’ $19 million filing) for the chance to make an additional $12.2 million (the difference between the Tigers’ $19.8 million offer and Skubal’s $32 million filing).<\/p>\n

Skubal is a two-time All-Star in his six-year MLB career and led the AL with a 2.39 ERA in 2024 and a 2.21 ERA in 2025.<\/p>\n

He enters free agency in November 2026.<\/p>\n

Contact Evan Petzold at\u00a0epetzold@freepress.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow him\u00a0@EvanPetzold<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Listen to our weekly Tigers show\u00a0“Days of Roar”<\/a>\u00a0every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on\u00a0Apple<\/a>,\u00a0Spotify<\/a>\u00a0or wherever you listen to podcasts.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers offer to Tarik Skubal before 2026 arbitration filing<\/a><\/p>\n