The biggest name on the market as the Winter Meetings approach is undoubtedly Tarik Skubal. The Detroit Tigers ace is one of the best, if not the best, pitchers in MLB. While the Tigers could easily extend him for a significant term, each passing day makes it seem increasingly likely that Detroit will go in the opposite direction.
“Two things I believe to be true. 1. Scott Boras and Tarik Skubal want to hit free agency a year from now. No extension this offseason. 2. The Tigers are not going all in to win with Skubal in 2026,” 97.1 The Ticket’s Jim Costa posted.
The Tigers have attempted to negotiate an extension with Skubal, but talks remain far from a deal, largely due to the massive financial gap.
“The Tigers and superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal have a lot of work to do if they’re going to bridge quite possibly the biggest gap in MLB negotiating history: an estimated quarter of a billion dollars. Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million,” New York Post’s Jon Heyman wrote.
Since the Tigers appear unwilling to meet his price, a trade could be on the table. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden believes the Los Angeles Dodgers are a likely destination.
“Skubal will reset the market for pitchers and become the highest-paid starting pitcher in history, with a realistic starting price north of $400 million. Therefore, even though the Tigers are in position to compete for the postseason next year, it’s likely they shop Skubal at the Winter Meetings and try to make the best trade they can,” Bowden wrote.
If a deal with the Dodgers were to happen, their roster would become nearly unfair. With an already elite starting rotation, adding Skubal could make it the best rotation of all time. The Dodgers’ batting lineup is already formidable, and adding Skubal to the rotation would only strengthen their dominance.
More MLB news:
