With an impressive 60-40 record, the Detroit Tigers are enjoying one of their best recent seasons.
Thanks to this, they are in first place in the American League Central Division with a comfortable lead over second place (12 games).
The offense, led by names such as Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres, has responded
However, the team’s great figure is undoubtedly the pitcher Tarik Skubal, who has proven to be one of the biggest stars in baseball today.
Who is Tarik Skubal?
The 28-year-old left-hander not only won the American League Cy Young Award in 2024, but also achieved the coveted pitching Triple Crown (leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts).
Additionally, in 2025, he has continued to shine with an ERA of 2.23, a WHIP of 0.826 and a rate of 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
It is thanks to this consistency that they have attracted the interest of the most powerful organizations in Major League Baseball.
Where will Skubal play next season?
According to journalist Buster Olney, an intense bidding war is expected between the Yankees, Dodgers and Mets for Skubal‘s services once he becomes a free agent after the 2026 season.
Teams like the Dodgers, who have already invested more than $1.3 billion recently in names like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell, seem willing to open the checkbook again.
Meanwhile, the Yankees see Skubal as an ideal complement to Max Fried, while the Mets are desperately seeking a figure of that caliber to bolster their rotation.
Skubal has publicly praised the Dodgers for their organizational structure and ability to attract talent. In addition, his injury-free track record makes him even more attractive compared to other elite pitchers who have dealt with physical problems.
Skubal’s million-dollar contract
The left-handed pitcher is represented by agent Scott Boras, and could reach a contract of up to $400 million, which would make him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history.
Despite Skubal‘s stellar performance and the team’s good form, rumors point to an almost certain departure. According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the pitcher is “virtually guaranteed” to leave the franchise after 2026.
Although the Tigers have attempted to extend his contract, efforts so far have not been enough to retain him long-term, so it seems likely that we will see the Tigers’ breakout pitcher in a different uniform very soon.
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