Detroit Tigers pitcher Tariq Skubal made headlines on Thursday after winning an arbitration case that grants him a $32 million salary for this season—substantially higher than the $19 million the team had proposed.
Skubal, who secured his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award in 2025, received a favorable ruling from a three-member salary arbitration panel, as reported by ESPN.
This landmark decision sets a new record for an annual salary under the arbitration system, eclipsing the previous high of $19.75 million, which was paid to David Price by the Tigers to avoid arbitration in 2015. Interestingly, in January 2024, the New York Yankees sidestepped arbitration with Juan Soto by signing him for $31 million.
The ability to achieve this arbitration win stemmed from Skubal’s five-plus years of service, along with a “special achievement” clause related to his Cy Young victories. This allowed him to benchmark his proposed salary against other top pitchers’ salaries in the league.
Because of this, he could point to salaries of pitchers like Zack Wheeler at $42 million, Jacob deGrom at $38 million, and Gerrit Cole at $36 million when negotiating. Though he has become a significant asset for the team, he remains a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, and the arbitration outcome doesn’t guarantee he’ll stay with the Tigers amid ongoing trade speculation.
Adding to the team’s strength, the Tigers signed veteran pitcher Flamer Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract just hours before the arbitration decision on Skubal was announced. This move reinforces Detroit’s aspirations for the AL Central Division as they gear up for the upcoming season.
Skubal’s remarkable 2024 campaign saw him start 31 games, achieving an ER of 2.21—leading the AL—and striking out 241 batters, surpassing his league-leading total from the previous year. As the new season approaches, he is part of a formidable starting rotation that could shape the Tigers’ performance moving forward.
