Tarik Skubal won his second consecutive Cy Young award on Wednesday, but his future in Detroit remains murky. While Skubal has emerged as one of the best pitchers in MLB over the last few years and a key part in Detroit making back-to-back postseason appearances, he has just one more year under the Tigers’ control and is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.
The Tigers still have time to try and extend Skubal, but recent reports have suggested that the two sides are not closely aligned on a deal, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post reporting last month that the sides were $250 million apart on an extension.
More: Top Tarik Skubal Trade Destinations
If Skubal and the Tigers cannot get any closer on a deal, Skubal will become a free agent in 2026. Alternatively, if the Tigers realize a deal won’t get done, they could try to trade him to ensure they get a return for the ace.
With trade rumors surrounding Skubal, Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg said Wednesday, “We love Tarik, obviously. It’s pretty obvious what means to this organization. He’s a fantastic pitcher, he’s a Detroit Tiger. We’re never going to talk about our players in the context of trades, but we’re lucky to have him. He’s been a huge piece to what we’ve done.”
"It's pretty obvious what he means to this organization..."
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Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg joins @jonmorosi to talk about the rumors surrounding a potential Tarik Skubal trade.
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When pressed further about whether it’s an obligation to listen to calls regarding Skubal if they don’t have him signed beyond the next season, Greenberg replied, “Again, it’s not something we’re going to discuss in this context, and I’d say that about any of our players. He’s got one year of control, that’s part of the process as it is for everybody in this system. He’s a Tiger. We’re fortunate to have him. That’s the reality right now.”
Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris, who is the team’s decision-maker, had a similar message last month when addressing Skubal’s future. He said in October, “I can’t comment on our players being traded, I can’t comment on free agents and I can’t comment on other teams’ players. So I’m going to respond by just not actually commenting on it. ... He’s an incredible pitcher and we’re lucky to have him. That’s all I can say on that.”
Skubal himself said Wednesday, via Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press, “Contract extension stuff is a little bit different, but trade stuff is out of my control. I've given everything I have to this organization. I want to be a Tiger for a very long time. ... I love Detroit. Hopefully, I'm here. That's where I'm at with all of that."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Tigers GM Addresses Trade Rumors Surrounding Ace Tarik Skubal.
