Tarik Skubal is arguably the best pitcher in the world right now. Over the last 1.5 years, Skubal has won the AL Cy Young award and completed the AL Triple Crown in pitching. The Detroit Tigers are lucky to have the 28-year-old pitcher on their roster; however, could the partnership be nearing an end soon?
According to Detroit Free Press' Evan Petzold on his podcast, Days of Roar, Skubal is "all but guaranteed" to leave the Tigers after the 2026 MLB season . The AL Cy Young Award winner is set to become a free agent after 2026, where he is looking to become the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history.
Detroit has tried to extend Skubal, but it wasn't enough to make him sign the contract. If the former ninth-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft doesn't find what he wants in Detroit, other big-market teams, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees , would likely pay him.
For now, the Tigers have to maximize the two-year window with Skubal on the roster because it could be the final two years. Skubal is a generational pitcher, and Detroit has to find a way to win the World Series with him leading the way. The Tigers hope to extend Skubal before he hits free agency, but it's starting to feel more unlikely by the day.
Related: MLB insider provides update on Tarik Skubal contract extension talks with Detroit Tigers
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