Detroit Tigers star Tarik Skubal has solidified his status as the premier pitcher in Major League Baseball, continuing his dominance in 2025 after winning the American League pitching Triple Crown last season. Despite his elite production, Detroit has not been able to secure a long-term extension with their ace, and negotiations reportedly remain at a standstill.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, while the Tigers have attempted to lock up Skubal, the two sides are “not close” to a deal. The left-hander is believed to be seeking a contract that would set a new financial standard for pitchers.
Contract details (via Spotrac):
- 2025 salary: $10.15 million
- Arbitration-eligible in 2026
Currently, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies holds the highest average annual salary among pitchers at $42 million. He’s the only full-time starter earning more than $40 million annually, with Jacob deGrom ($37 million AAV) and Blake Snell ($36.4 million AAV) behind him.
Given Skubal’s dominance, a record-setting deal wouldn’t be surprising. Since the start of the 2024 season, he leads the majors with a 2.42 ERA and has tallied 320 strikeouts over 260.2 innings.
2025 stats so far (via ESPN):
- 2.49 ERA
- 0.84 WHIP
- 92 strikeouts, 7 walks
- .203 opponent batting average in 68.2 innings
Even if Detroit is open to making Skubal the highest-paid pitcher in history, a significant roadblock remains—his agent, Scott Boras. Known for steering clients toward free agency, Boras is expected to do the same with Skubal, who is set to hit the open market after the 2026 season.
With pitcher salaries continuing to rise and Skubal backing up his 2024 breakout, he’s positioned to cash in. He’ll be 30 when he reaches free agency, and multiple big-market teams are likely to be ready to offer deals exceeding $44 million per year. Unless the Tigers are willing to deliver an offer that far exceeds Zack Wheeler’s record AAV, an extension doesn’t appear likely.
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