In the world of the Detroit Tigers, no player is deemed irreplaceable, including their star pitcher.
This was the clear message conveyed during Scott Harris’ recent appearance on MLB Network. The Tigers’ head of baseball operations did not dismiss the possibility of trading their standout pitcher, Tarik Skubal, this offseason.
“I don’t subscribe to the idea of players being untouchable at any tier,” Harris asserted at the Winter Meetings held in Orlando. “This isn’t a reflection on Tarik specifically. It’s more about our overall strategy to cultivate a successful team. My role is to enhance this organization, which means I must remain open to every potential opportunity, regardless of its probability.”
The future of Skubal, who has secured the American League Cy Young Award for two consecutive years, remains a hot topic. The left-handed pitcher is set to enter free agency following the 2026 season.
As speculation mounts, it is anticipated that Skubal, now 29, could seek a contract surpassing $300 million in the market next winter. Reports indicate that he and the Tigers have yet to reach a consensus on a contract extension.
The expectation is Skubal, 29, would command more than $300 million on the open market next winter, and reports have suggested he and the Tigers have not come close to agreeing to an extension.
“Tarik’s a Tiger right now,” Harris said. “We’re thrilled that he’s a Tiger. He’s coming off of back-to-back Cy Young appearances. He’s a huge part of what we’re doing right now. I understand the sentiment. It’s really hard to comment on [the situation] directly.”
Skubal won the AL pitching crown during his breakout 2024 campaign, leading the league with 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings.
He was even better last season, pitching to an AL-best 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings.
The Mets, whose need for frontline starting pitching has been well-documented, have been linked to Skubal, as have the similarly deep-pocketed Los Angeles Dodgers.
It would take a haul to acquire Skubal, considering the Tigers are fresh off of back-to-back wild card berths and figure to be contenders again if Skubal remains in the mix.
But this could be the best chance for the Tigers to maximize Skubal’s value if they don’t expect to re-sign him. Detroit’s projected payroll of $166.2 million, according to Cot’s Contacts, currently ranks 16th among MLB teams.
Skubal would be, by far, the most desirable pitcher available this offseason. Dylan Cease signed a market-setting seven-year, $210 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays last month, while Framber Valdez, Michael King, Ranger Suarez, Zac Gallen and Tatsuya Imai are among the top free agents.
“I can’t, and I won’t, speculate on trades for our own players. It’s just not fair to the players. It’s not fair to the other teams,” Harris told MLB Network.
“There are 25 other guys in our locker room. There are 25 other guys that are busting their butts to play on the field, and it takes all of us to actually get to the postseason. It’s not a commentary on Tarik. It’s the organizational ethos that we have.”
