Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal and the team were unable to reach a contract agreement before the arbitration deadline, the club announced Thursday evening. As a result, the two sides are set to proceed to a salary arbitration hearing to determine Skubal’s compensation for the upcoming season.
Major League Baseball’s arbitration process allows players with more than three years but less than six years of major league service time to have their salaries determined by a third-party panel if they and their teams cannot reach a settlement in the offseason. Skubal, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time, falls into this category.
The 27-year-old Skubal has emerged as a key part of Detroit’s starting rotation since making his debut in 2020. Despite dealing with injuries earlier in his career, he finished last season on a strong note, contributing consistently for the Tigers down the stretch. His performance included several quality starts, highlighted by a solid strikeout rate and improved command.
Skubal’s representatives and the Tigers exchanged salary figures ahead of the hearing, though those numbers were not disclosed publicly at the time of the announcement. Arbitration hearings typically occur during February, unless an agreement is reached before then. The panel hearing the case will choose either the salary figure submitted by the player or by the team — there is no middle ground.
The Tigers have settled with most of their arbitration-eligible players but have not been able to finalize terms with Skubal ahead of the deadline, which has become a common target in the industry for avoiding arbitration hearings. Detroit has historically aimed to resolve such issues before reaching the hearing stage, though the organization has not ruled out continuing negotiations.
Skubal remains under team control through the next few seasons, meaning this arbitration process marks the first of potentially several contract negotiations between the two sides. The outcome of the hearing will determine his salary for the 2026 season but will not affect his long-term status with the team.
More details are expected to emerge as the arbitration process unfolds in the coming weeks.
