Imago
Credit: IMAGO
Imago
Credit: IMAGO
Essentials Inside The Story
- Detroit’s quick $115M move for Framber Valdez after Skubal’s arbitration dispute sends a clear message about where the Tigers see their future ace.
- Detroit passed on Skubal’s $32M ask, then paid Valdez $38M a year, making their priorities clear.
- Fans see the Valdez deal as confirmation that the Tigers are preparing to move on from Skubal.
The Tigers may not have said it out loud, but the message was loud and clear. By signing Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million deal, Detroit effectively signaled that Tarik Skubal’s time with the franchise is nearing its end. For a two-time Cy Young winner coming off a tense arbitration process, the move feels less like roster depth and more like preparation for an inevitable exit.
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Taken together, the sequence of events leaves little room for doubt. Arbitration was supposed to be routine, but it exposed a real gap between how Tarik Skubal values himself and how the Tigers are willing to spend. Once that gap became public, it set the tone for everything that followed.
That context is what made the reaction to the Framber Valdez signing so immediate. When Jeff Passan reported the three-year, $115 million deal, Jared Carrabis summed up the league’s thinking in one line: “soooo Skubal lost his arbitration case?” The Tigers didn’t let the situation linger. Instead of waiting days or weeks, they committed record-setting money to another ace almost instantly.
soooo Skubal lost his arbitration case? https://t.co/3dLjtKD1Oe
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) February 5, 2026
As the details came out, the contrast only grew sharper. Valdez landed a $38.33 million average annual value, the highest ever for a left-handed pitcher, on a deal that runs beyond 2026. That came just after Skubal asked for $32 million while the Tigers countered at $19 million. Rather than bridge that gap long-term with their own two-time Cy Young winner, Detroit chose certainty elsewhere.
The optics of that decision didn’t go unnoticed, especially after another post from Carrabis gained traction. “Imagine telling back-to-back Cy Young award winner and model citizen Tarik Skubal, who bleeds Detroit blue, that you’re planning on slandering him in court so you can pay him $19M instead of $32 million, but have no problem with paying Framber Valdez $38M a year over three years,” Carrabis wrote. The quote captured the frustration many around the league were feeling.
That framing also sheds light on how the arbitration likely played out. Either the Tigers lost the case or ended up much closer to Skubal’s number than they were comfortable with. With Skubal just one year from free agency, Detroit chose to lock in a long-term anchor now rather than risk a bigger salary spike or lose leverage later.
From the Tigers’ perspective, this was about control and planning ahead. Valdez’s durability and familiarity with A.J. Hinch make him an easy fit at the top of the rotation if Detroit decides not to extend its homegrown ace. For Skubal, the message is hard to miss. The Tigers were willing to spend elite money. They just chose to spend it on Framber Valdez, not Tarik Skubal.
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That contrast didn’t just land inside front offices. It immediately spilled over into public reaction, where fans began connecting the dots and questioning the logic behind Detroit’s priorities.
Fan Reaction: Why the Valdez Deal Feels Like the End for Skubal
Across social media, the first response was disbelief at the numbers themselves.
One fan pointed out the irony right away, saying, “Also, the same AAV that Skubal filed at, correct? The irony.”
That reaction tracks with the numbers. Skubal filed for $32 million in arbitration, while Valdez ultimately landed a $38.33 million AAV, the highest ever for a left-handed pitcher. The Tigers balked at Skubal’s figure, countering at $19 million, but then turned around and committed even more annually to Valdez. From a fan’s perspective, the contrast feels hard to defend.
Another comment cut straight to the conclusion: “Huge move from the Tigers, but Skubal is definitely gone.”
That sentiment reflects timing more than emotion. Skubal is entering his final year before free agency, and Detroit has now locked in Valdez beyond 2026. With only one long-term ace spot effectively secured, fans see the Valdez deal as a signal that the Tigers are planning for a future where Skubal is no longer part of the core.
The trade chatter also has a logical basis. “Skubal gone. Tigers can’t afford him next year. Might as well trade him for assets. DODGER!!!” echoes a common front-office reality.
If Detroit is unwilling to meet Skubal’s arbitration ask now, it raises questions about its willingness to outbid the open market later. Trading him before free agency would allow the Tigers to recoup value rather than risk losing him for nothing.
Others focused on the raw comparison: “They’re going to give 38 million to Valdez but not 23 million to Skubal???”
While the exact figures differ, the frustration stems from the process. Skubal was pushed to a hearing, where teams typically argue against a player’s value, while Valdez was courted and paid at a premium.
As another fan speculated, “or he won and Skubal is about to get traded to Dodgers,” the idea reflects how quickly arbitration outcomes, payroll decisions, and trade rumors intertwine once a team commits this level of money elsewhere.