With a 60-40 record, the Detroit Tigers are currently playing the best baseball in all of MLB. Yes, the likes of Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, or Gleyber Torres are collectively leading the Tigers’ offense. But when it comes to defense, it’s a one-man show by a distance: Tarik Skubal, who is a direct rival to Paul Skenes. But apparently, Detroit is not allowed to have good things.

With the reigning Cy Young winner set to hit free agency after the next season, it is highly unlikely Skubal will stay in Motown. And if recent report is anything, heavyweights like the Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers are already lined up to get the 28-year-old’s signature. Not long but just a few months back in February this year, when the Tigers’ ace asked about the free agency market, he was all praise for the Dodgers, saying that, “A lot of guys want to go play there because they have a great organization… and they’re paid pretty well to go there and play.”

And as for the Yankees, Aaron Boone would not mind pairing Max Fried with the best pitcher in the league. Last time he faced the Tigers, Skubal threw six scoreless innings. Skipper Boone called him ‘unpredictable‘ and ‘tough to play.’ So when ESPN’s Buster Olney predicted a bidding war among MLB heavyweights for Skubal’s signature, it didn’t come as a shock.

Represented by super agent Scott Boras, Skubal’s contract can go as high as $400 million, per Olney. “Skubal is set to land $400 Million after next season,” Olney predicted. He then etched the battlefield with a simple but provocative question. The question is actually “whether it’ll come from the Yankees, the Dodgers, or the Mets.”

Be it the Yankees, Mets, or the Dodgers, they are all heavy spenders, despite having a high payroll. The Dodgers alone have spent over $1.3 billion on pitchers, which included the acquisitions of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Blake Snell, as well as the extension of Tyler Glasnow. And the Yankees and Mets are not behind as well, considering how they went bonkers for Juan Soto last year.

So why is a $400 million contract a realistic possibility for the 28-year-old? Skubal’s performance has been simply dominant. His rise to the top saw him achieve a historic 2024 season, where he took home the American League Cy Young Award. Also, he achieved the rare pitching Triple Crown, which saw him lead the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39), and strikeouts (228). Any thoughts of that being a fluke season were put to rest in 2025. Through 19 starts that year, he did even better, putting up a 2.23 ERA and a great 0.826 WHIP, striking out 11.4 batters per nine innings.

The numbers hammer home just how good he is. His Fielding Independent Pitching sits at 2.31, matching his ERA so closely that the margin for luck is virtually nil. What really sets Skubal apart, though, is his toughness. He appeared close to 200 elite innings per season. While other aces like Gerrit Cole and Max Fried have battled injuries, Skubal’s reliability is a rare commodity.

With a resume this flawless, only baseball’s wealthiest teams can even dream of entering the auction. But where does his current club stand in the picture?

Could the Detroit Tigers be it?

There is no doubt that the Detroit Tigers are really lucky to have Skubal, but could this partnership be ending soon? According to the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold on his podcast, Days of Roar, Skubal is “all but guaranteed” to leave the Tigers after the 2026 MLB season.

If he can pull off such a move, then he will be the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history. But it is not like Detroit has not tried to extend the starting pitcher. However, it was not enough for him to sign the contract. For now, the Tigers have a two-year window to capitalize on with the former ninth-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.

Skubal is a generational talent, and the clubhouse has to find a way to win the World Series with him at the helm. Currently sitting atop the American League Central with the win loss record of 60-40, the Tigers look dominant. However, as per predictions, the stage is set for a historic bidding war. Will it be the Yankees’ tradition, the Dodgers’ dynasty, or the Mets’ raw ambition that lands the $400 million man?