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Over the past two years, Tarik Skubal has clearly established himself as one of the best starting pitchers in the Majors. The Tigers' ace pitcher, who is expected to win a second Cy Young trophy in two years, has been an essential part of his club's comeback.
And when you look at his performances in the current series, you can see just how dominant he is.
Tarik Skubal this postseason
ALDS Game 5 (ND): 6 IP, 13K, 1 ER
ALDS Game 2: (ND): 7 IP, 9K, 2 ER
ALWC Game 1: (W): 7.2 IP, 14K, 1 ER– Brandon Wile (@Brandon_N_Wile) October 11, 2025
That said, Skubal is in a special position right now. In 2026, the starter will be in his last year before reaching full autonomy… and that means the Tigers, who don't usually pay top dollar to sign their players, will have a big decision to make.
The club will have to decide whether it wants to keep Skubal in 2026… or trade him this summer to avoid losing him on the autonomy market a year from now.
The Tigers face an impossible choice with Tarik Skubal, as the Brewers did when they traded Corbin Burnes to Baltimore in 2024. Skubal is a free agent next fall. Should the Tigers:
– Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 11, 2025
It's not unlike the case of Corbin Burnes in Milwaukee two years ago. Back then, the Brewers knew they wouldn't be able to pay him… so they traded Burnes to Baltimore instead of keeping him for another year.
And the club made a similar decision last year, this time with a reliever in Devin Williams. All this despite the club's desire to remain competitive (which worked).
We know that Skubal, because of his track record, will be in a position to break the bank a year from now. And when you consider that Scott Boras is his agent, the chances of him agreeing to a contract extension before hitting the market are very, very slim.
So the Tigers will have to decide… and you really have to wonder if Skubal last wore the club's uniform. And if so, he'll be a very, very coveted name on the trade market.
This content was created with the help of AI.
