Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal wins arbitration case, landing a record-setting $32 million contract for the 2026 Major League Baseball season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The decision, handed down Thursday by a three-person independent arbitration panel, locks in a one-year deal for the 29-year-old left-hander. Skubal will be eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason, setting the stage for what could be another blockbuster chapter in his career.
Historic Gap, Historic Payday
The ruling followed a high-stakes hearing Wednesday in which both Skubal and the Tigers made sharply contrasting salary proposals. Represented by agent Scott Boras, Skubal sought $32 million — eclipsing the $31 million Juan Soto earned in 2024 with the New York Yankees and setting a new benchmark in arbitration history.
Detroit countered with $19 million. The $13 million gap between the filings marked the largest difference ever seen in MLB arbitration proceedings.
Under arbitration rules, the panel was required to choose one of the two submitted figures — not split the difference. In siding with Skubal, the panel delivered the largest arbitration award in league history.
For comparison, the previous record for a pitcher was $19.75 million, awarded to former Tigers lefty David Price in 2015. Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. previously held the highest arbitration figure overall at $19.9 million in 2024. Notably, Jeanne Charles and Walt De Treaux — who served on Guerrero’s case — were also part of the Skubal panel.
