Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers Fail to Reach Contract Agreement, Setting Up Record Arbitration Showdown
Star left-hander Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers failed to reach a contract agreement before Thursday’s deadline to avoid arbitration, setting up a potential record-breaking showdown. Skubal, the two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner, is seeking a record $32 million in salary arbitration, while the Tigers countered with $19 million. This significant $13 million spread could lead to a hearing in February, where the two sides will present their cases to a panel.
The Tigers are historically a “file-and-trial” team, meaning they tend to take arbitration cases to a hearing rather than settling beforehand. Given Skubal’s impressive performance and the fact that he is likely to become a free agent after this season, it’s possible that the team will not work out a multiyear extension. If the case goes to a hearing, Skubal’s representatives will argue that he deserves a significant raise based on his achievements, including his back-to-back Cy Young Awards.
Arbitration Process and Precedents
Players with more than three years of major league service time can use arbitration to negotiate their salaries for the upcoming season with their clubs. If the two sides don’t come to terms on a deal by the deadline, they swap salary numbers that they take into an arbitration hearing. This year’s hearings are scheduled from January 26 to February 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Skubal’s case is notable not only because of the large spread between his requested salary and the team’s offer but also because he could break the record for the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player.
Juan Soto currently holds the record with a $31 million deal with the New York Yankees in 2024. David Price holds the record salary for an arbitration-eligible pitcher, a $19.75 million agreement with the Tigers in 2015. Jacob deGrom received the biggest raise for an arbitration-eligible pitcher ($9.6 million) in 2019, jumping from $7.4 million to $17 million in a deal with the New York Mets. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. holds the record for the highest salary decided by a panel at $19.9 million in 2024.
Uncommon Stipulations and Potential Outcomes
Two uncommon stipulations could help Skubal win his case. The first allows players with at least five years of service time to compare themselves to not just past arbitration-eligible players, but every other player, permitting Skubal to compare himself to past pitchers with the highest salaries. The second are his “special accomplishments,” which any player who has set records or earned awards can present. Skubal is one of 12 pitchers to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards and one of 23 pitchers to win the award multiple times.
Whatever the outcome, Skubal will receive a hefty raise after recording a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts in 195 innings across 31 starts as the staff ace for a club that reached the postseason for the second consecutive year. Skubal was one of 166 players eligible for arbitration entering Thursday, and he’s one of 18 players who did not settle on a salary for the 2026 season before Thursday’s deadline.
Other players without a deal include Houston Astros infielder Isaac Paredes; Milwaukee Brewers infielder William Contreras; Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson; Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan; Kansas City Royals starter Kris Bubic and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino; Astros catcher Yainer Diaz; and Baltimore Orioles starter Kyle Bradish. On the other end, the Seattle Mariners and outfielder Randy Arozarena agreed to a $15.65 million salary in his final year of arbitration, the highest number for a settlement in baseball this year.
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson settled at $8.5 million, setting the franchise record for a player in his first year of arbitration. The Chicago Cubs and right-hander Edward Cabrera, whom they acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, settled at $4.45 million. Other players who finalized deals Thursday include several notable names, as teams and players work to avoid arbitration hearings and secure contracts for the upcoming season.
