Tarik Skubal says Tigers never made him offer in…
The best pitcher in baseball can’t even receives a commission.
Tarik Skubal revealed that the Tigers never prolonged an official offer this winter to signal him to a long-term extension.
Instead, the two-time Cy Young Award winner will seemingly enter free company next offseason.
“There is no offer, and there won’t be an offer until the end of the season,” Skubal told USA Today. “My focus is on playing baseball and winning this year. I’ll deal with the contract stuff at the end of the year, and then we’ll kind of see. And that’s fine. It’s their decision.”
Skubal added that Detroit didn’t even trouble negotiating with him during arbitration — which ended in a report $32 million win for the ace.
The Tigers’ only long-term offer to Skubal got here two years in the past for less than $80 million, with The Post’s Jon Heyman reporting in October that the events confronted a $250 million hole.
Detroit proprietor Chris Ilitch didn’t make the scenario any clearer either, saying “let’s see how it all plays out” earlier this week.
Tarik Skubal plans to throw 55 pitches in his lone World Baseball Classic start for Team USA. IMAGN IMAGES via GWN Connect
“I would say (Tigers general manager) Scott Harris is always looking to make smart baseball decisions,” Ilitch said, per The Athletic. “I hope it’s clear I want to support our team to make sure that we are a championship-caliber organization.”
Skubal, meanwhile, just needs to focus on the upcoming season.
The Tigers had a strong offseason, including Framber Valdez on a three-year, $115 million contract and former Tiger Justin Verlander on a low-cost one-year deal in free company.
The trio pairs with Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize to kind one of the best beginning rotations in baseball.
Tarik Skubal pairs with former Cy Young winner Justin Verlander with the Tigers this season. Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images
“That’s where my focus is, trying to win a World Series for the city of Detroit, the team that drafted me in 2018,” Skubal told USA Today. “The Tigers fans are excited, they’re really invested in this club, and so are we. There’s a different energy in camp this year about the guys that we brought in and additions that we’ve made, and there’s a true belief and trying to win a World Series.”
Individually, Skubal will strive to change into the first American League pitcher to acquire three straight Cy Young awards this season.
He led the AL in ERA in each of the last two years — 2.39 in 2024 and 2.21 in 2025 — while including over 220 strikeouts each time.
Across six years in the league, Tarik Skubal has collected a 3.08 ERA. AP
He’ll also briefly be pitching for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, making one start Saturday against Great Britain before heading back to spring training.
Despite all his accolades across the last two years, though, the Tigers’ unwillingness to pay Skubal means this may very well be his last season in Motor City.
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