The Detroit Tigers opened best-and-final bidding for Tarik Skubal on Saturday afternoon, earlier than many expected, after canvassing the market and concluding several teams could meet their asking price. The left-hander, 29, is coming off consecutive American League Cy Young Awards and is due to reach free agency after the season, a factor that shaped Detroit’s timetable.
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris placed the calls to remaining suitors and made clear Detroit wanted to move quickly rather than wait for the 6 p.m. ET deadline. Executives around the league feared that if Detroit delayed, contenders might pivot to alternatives with more years of control — such as Seattle’s right-hander George Kirby, who does not reach free agency until after 2028.
Detroit judged it was bargaining from strength: Skubal represented roughly 10 regular-season starts and, in the best case, a handful of postseason appearances. But multiple people involved in the discussions told Detroit that clubs were hesitant to commit their entire deadline strategy to one rental asset, leaving many teams unwilling to dramatically alter initial offers.
That dynamic produced a blind-bid environment. Some clubs submitted multiple concepts; others put forward their top proposals and hoped for the best. Sources who spoke with those directly involved in the Skubal talks said no team moved far from its opening posture, increasing the value of a buyer willing to operate in a high-cost, deadline-focused way.
The Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately prevailed, a result described in the reporting as unsurprising given the franchise’s recent deadline activity. The coverage noted the Dodgers’ willingness to absorb value-negative deals and cited past high-profile transactions — including Yu Darvish, Manny Machado, Max Scherzer and Trea Turner — as part of a pattern that allowed Los Angeles to combine talent that appealed to Detroit with a readiness to spend it.
