Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made MLB history on Thursday, as he reportedly won his arbitration case that will pay him $32 million this season over his team’s proposed $19 million salary.
Skubal, who won his second straight American League Cy Young Award in 2025, had a three-person salary arbitration panel rule in his favor, ESPN reported..
Skubal’s victory marks a new salary record awarded to a player in the arbitration system by $1 million. The New York Yankees avoided arbitration with Juan Soto in January 2024, awarding him a $31 million deal for that year.
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Skubal had a unique position heading into arbitration with five-plus years of service time, while also being able to use the “special accomplishment” clause, which factors in winning Cy Young Awards. It allowed Skubal to not just compare his proposed salary to those that have faced arbitration, but the rest of the league.
As a result, Skubal could point to pitchers like Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Jacob deGrom ($38 million), and Gerrit Cole ($36 million) heading into 2026.
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The Tigers’ previous high was $19.75 million paid out to David Price, another talented left-handed starter for the organization, to avoid a hearing in 2015. This went all the way down to the panel’s decisions, but ultimately, Skubal remains a Tigers’ pitcher heading into 2026.
As for his future, Skubal is set for free agency at the end of the 2026 season, though lots can happen between then. This arbitration victory doesn’t solidify that he will spend the entire season in Detroit, especially considering the trade rumors that have swirled around the organization.
The Tigers did, however, bolster their chances at repeating as AL Central champions, acquiring veteran left-handed starter Framer Valdez via free agency. They inked a three-year, $115 million deal with Valdez on Wednesday — hours before the panel’s decision on Skubal.
Now, Detroit heads into the season as one of the best one-two punches in a starting rotation in MLB.
After a fantastic 2024 campaign that ended with some much-deserved hardware, Skubal followed it up with an AL-leading 2.21 ERA over 195.1 innings in 31 starts. He also struck out 241 batters, 13 more than his league-leading mark the year prior.
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