The Detroit Tigers were forced to make a necessary move with Tarik Skubal during this offseason, and when it all came down to it, everything was an unknown situation that has finally reached an uncomfortable point for both the team and the player. If they didn’t accept a trade or a strong offer, 2026 would be the last year they’d see the star pitcher on their mound.
In the end, that’s how it will be for the American League Cy Young winner, knowing that throughout this winter there was ongoing debate about whether the Detroit organization would part ways with him-something that ultimately won’t happen.
No one wants to pay what the Tigers are asking
The story reached MLB arbitration with a historic salary gap between $32 million and $19 million, largely because they didn’t facilitate a blockbuster trade in which the Los Angeles Dodgers were always one of the teams linked to Skubal.
But everything has changed. Within the Dodgers front office, they’ve decided to shift focus to another player, and the reason is completely valid. In reality, Detroit was asking for more than what LA was willing to pay.
The Tigers have held onto Tarik Skubal because no team is willing to meet-or even come close to-their asking price. In Detroit, they believe they should receive a package of top prospects plus a MLB-ready starting pitcher, so the blow of losing their best arm isn’t so abrupt.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers are turning their attention to Freddy Peralta, though there’s no report indicating that a deal is imminent. The truth is that the Detroit Tigers will be able to retain Skubal in 2026, but for the following season, Los Angeles will be ready to make a serious offer to continue “ruining baseball”.
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