NEW YORK – In a huge shock before the winter transfer window opens, Detroit Tigers star pitcher Tarik Skubal and the team are facing a huge gap in contract negotiations: about $250 million. That’s equivalent to two seasons of salary for a New York Yankees player named Gerrit Cole, leading most experts to say that if the two sides can’t reach an agreement, one of the most notorious deals in MLB history is at risk of falling apart.
The New York Post asserts that the reason for this situation is not entirely due to performance – Skubal currently leads the entire MLB in ERA (2.21) and WAR (6.6), and is second in the number of dropped balls behind “super rookie” Garrett Crochet – but rather: the Detroit board of directors only offered a long-term contract worth about $150 million, while the star’s side, too familiar with famous agent Scott Boras, demanded a minimum of $400 million to keep him.
The Cy Young-winning season of 2024 remains the benchmark for valuation, as Skubal becomes the first player in history to complete the “Pitching Triple Crown” of 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA, and 228 strikeouts—a feat not seen since 2011. But according to analysis from Bloomberg Sports, this is only a small reason behind the market’s valuation: recent contracts like Max Scherzer and Shohei Ohtani have both surpassed the $40 million mark per year, and the price of MLB’s best left-handed hitter is sure to rise even more.
“Skubal is the world’s best pitcher with the highest density,” said a team insider. “But the team thinks if it goes above $30 million per year, it will lose financial control. At that point, the gap with this partner will become a huge challenge.” On the other hand, senior expert Scott Harris called this “a difficult challenge” for the team that has invited a series of failed big contracts in the past 2 years.
At this point, three scenarios are being considered by Tiger City:
Negotiate further and push the price up to nearly 400 million USD, accept “overpaying” for a world-class pitcher, which means paving the way for a historic long-term contract.
Trade Skubal this winter, trying to maximize the transfer value to avoid losing him for free in the 2027 season. Vu.namespace such as the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees have reportedly called the hotline to negotiate.
Letting Skubal complete the 2026 season and then hitting the open market, a decision that experts predict will leave Detroit without the best pitcher in franchise history—a scenario that happened to Miguel Cabrera in 2013.
Skubal’s talent and story—from a forgotten Seattle University player to a Cy Young Award winner and two-time AL leader—once exemplified the value of traditional scouting in a data-driven world. Now, the future of the player who once said “Detroit deserves the best” is caught between value and financial strategy.
“We had to choose between building a team to compete for championships again and spending a huge amount of money,” President Scott Harris admitted in a rare interview. “But given what Tarik brings… maybe not keeping him was a bigger mistake.”
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