Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal beat the Detroit Tigers in arbitration Thursday and will earn $32 million in 2026, sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The Tigers had filed for $19 million. The $13-million gap going into Wednesday's hearing was the largest since MLB introduced the arbitration system in 1974.
Detroit made no effort to meet Skubal in the middle at $25.5 million, sources told Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Skubal's reported deal is the biggest ever for an arbitration-eligible player, beating Juan Soto's 2024 contract with the New York Yankees by $1 million. It also shattered the previous high of $19.9 million awarded by the panel of arbitrators.
Skubal won back-to-back AL Cy Youngs after posting a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts in 195 1/3 innings last season.
The 29-year-old left-hander is set to become a free agent after this season and reportedly isn't expected to ink a long-term extension with Detroit beforehand.
The Tigers head into the 2026 campaign with Skubal and Framber Valdez atop their rotation after reportedly inking Valdez to a three-year, $115-million deal Wednesday.
