Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal has received a signifiant pay raise.
Skubal, the reigning American League Cy Young winner, signed a $10.15 million contract with the Tigers for the 2025 season before Thursday’s MLB deadline to avoid arbitration, according to a source with knowledge of the agreement. Had the two sides not agreed, there would have been an arbitration hearing to determine Skubal’s salary. The source was granted anonymity because the agreement had yet to be announced.
Skubal, 28, will be eligible for salary arbitration for the third and final time after the 2025 season. After that, he will become a free agent after the 2026 season — unless the Tigers sign him to a long-term contract extension.
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Skubal, who previously turned down an extension offer from the Tigers, received a $7.5 million raise from his $2.65 million salary in 2024 by settling at $10.15 million in 2025.
He earned every bit of it.
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In 2024, Skubal posted an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA, 35 walks and 228 strikeouts across 192 innings in 31 starts. He made the All-Star Game for the first time in his five-year MLB career, and secured the first AL pitching Triple Crown since 2011. Skubal established himself as the ace of the Tigers and the best pitcher in baseball.
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So far, the Tigers have agreed to terms with Skubal ($10.15 million), right-handed reliever Jason Foley ($3.15 million), outfielder Matt Vierling ($3.005 million), catcher Jake Rogers ($2.64 million) and right-hander Casey Mize ($2.34 million), infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry ($1.65 million), right-handed reliever Will Vest ($1.4 million) and infielder Andy Ibáñez ($1.4 million).
One player still needs to lock in his salary: right-handed reliever Beau Brieske.
Skubal was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to get $8 million in his second round of salary arbitration, so he beat the projection by more than $2 million.
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He is on track for a bigger raise in his final round of the arbitration process after this season, especially if he turns in another Cy Young-caliber performance.
For example: Right-hander Corbin Burnes — the 2021 National League Cy Young winner — received raises from $6.5 million in his first year of arbitration (2022) to $10 million in his second year of arbitration (2023) to $15.6 million in his third year (2024). Then he entered free agency and signed a six-year, $210 million contract this winter with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The salary arbitration record belongs to outfielder Juan Soto, who settled at $31 million with the New York Yankees before the 2024 season. In December, Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
Skubal won’t get close to Soto’s record, but could become the first $400 million pitcher if things break right. Skubal is represented by agent Scott Boras.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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