The ongoing offseason might have just gotten a lot more interesting and a lot more nerve-wracking for Tigers fans. All thanks to Tarik Skubal and Detroit’s front office.

Well, the Tigers were rumored to look to trade Skubal closer to the deadline, with free agency looming in 2027. But now, it feels like things could come to a head much sooner! Reportedly, the deadline to reach contracts with arbitration-eligible players for 2026 has passed, and the Tigers managed to come to terms with everyone except Skubal.

So, for Tigers fans already anxious about Skubal’s long-term future, this development is more than enough to leave them stunned. Check their social media chatter, and you’ll know the vibe.

“The Detroit Tigers confirm they could not reach an agreement with 2-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal,” MLB insider Bob Nightengale reports.

So, what makes this whole situation even more fascinating is just how small the gap is between the two sides. Here, we’re talking about a $13 million difference. Skubal reportedly asked for a record-setting $32 million in arbitration, while the Tigers countered with $19 million.

Given what Skubal has done up through 2025, you can see why this feels like a risky gamble by Detroit. Over six big-league seasons, he’s posted a 54–37 record with a 3.08 ERA. Last year alone, he went 13–6 with an AL-best 2.21 ERA across 31 starts, punched out 241 hitters, walked just 33, and logged nearly 200 innings.

And yes, his 0.891 WHIP led all qualified pitchers, all while making $10.5 million.

So, with numbers like that, it’s not crazy to argue Skubal has earned a salary north of $30 million.

Just look around the league: Juan Soto made $31 million with the Yankees in 2024, and while the situations aren’t identical, the comparison only fuels the debate!

Well, for the Tigers, though, that price tag may simply be more than they’re willing to offer. And that’s where the anxiety really kicks in. If Detroit digs in, Skubal could avoid settling and potentially become available to other teams sooner than fans ever expected.

Unsurprisingly, Tigers fans aren’t taking this well. Online chatter has been brutal, with plenty of frustration aimed at the front office for what many see as mishandling the team’s cornerstone.

Fans are rallying behind Skubal

While the Tigers’ front office is taking a gamble with Tarik Skubal, for fans, it’s nothing but a debacle. “Not a good sign for a long-term extension when they can’t even agree on a one-year deal,” one fan said. “Lowballing their franchise player. Trade him to the Mets,” added another.

Notably, Skubal not only led the Tigers’ pitching squad but also the entire league in 2025. So, the fans wonder how a team could lowball with their top name. Even teams like the Pirates are infamous for trading away stars and not investing enough, are holding on to Paul Skenes.

Now, as Skubal and the Tigers are facing difficulty in creating consensus for arbitration, what would happen in terms of a long-term contract? Fans might not be hopeful anymore.

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“Are we really surprised?” One user asked. Neither do we, because the Tigers have a history of failing to retain their star players. Remember how they didn’t extend Max Scherzer after his Cy Young–winning season and ended up trading him to the Nationals in 2014? Scherzer went on to win multiple Cy Youngs and a World Series elsewhere! So, Tarik Skubal is the latest addition to the list.

“Welcome to LA, bud,” one user remarked. “He’s coming to Daddy Dodgers coming soon,” another added. Well, the Dodgers are always infamous for poaching away the top names during the offseason. But what if other teams are not making enough to land the top names? So, just as the Tigers lost the arbitration deadline with Skubal, fans are speculating a Dodgers connection. While the Dodgers are also in the race for a starter post Clayton Kershaw’s retirement, who could be better than Skubal?

Tarik Skubal is a talent who will not stay uncontested for long. So, for the Tigers, it’s now or never with their clutch arm.