Tarik Skubal Wins Landmark Arbitration Case; These 3 Players Could Benefit Most

Starting pitchers won big...

Sep 6, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) warms up before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Tarik Skubal won big, and so did All-Star pitchers across Major League Baseball.

On Thursday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that Skubal won his arbitration case against the Detroit Tigers, and will be paid a record-breaking $32 million in his final year before free agency. He and the Tigers filed $13 million apart, the largest discrepancy in the history of the arbitration system.

There are obvious long-term implications for Skubal and the Tigers, who reportedly agreed to a three-year deal on Wednesday night. But starting pitchers who will file for future arbitration salaries might have been the biggest winners here. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but here are three players whose earning potential just received a major boost.

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Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins

Sep 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan (41) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Another American League Central ace, Ryan is arguably the class of the 2027-2028 free-agent class. Skubal has multiple Cy Young Awards to his name, which Ryan can't boast since he doesn't have one yet, but if arbitration salaries are up as a whole, he might benefit the most next year.

Ryan avoided arbitration with the Twins at $6.2 million after the two sides initially couldn't agree to terms by the January deadline. He's not on Skubal's level, to be sure, but he just made his first All-Star team and received a huge visibility boost as a popular trade candidate, so all eyes will be on him in 2026.

Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners

Oct 19, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners pitcher Logan Gilbert (36) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning during game six of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Gilbert and the Mariners avoided arbitration at $10.9 million, making the 28-year-old the highest-paid pitcher of anyone who hasn't received an extension of any kind and still has multiple years to go before free agency.

After an injury-shortened 2025 campaign, Gilbert has an opportunity to earn a huge payday if he can stay healthy. His Mariners teammates George Kirby and Bryan Woo could have easily made a list like this one, too.

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches from the dugout in the sixth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In terms of overall earnings, perhaps no one cleaned up more than Skenes on Thursday. Next season will be his first-ever trip to arbitration, and as he's already got a Cy Young Award to his name, he'll be able to collect three major paydays from the Pirates -- assuming they keep him that long.

If arbitration salaries go up, teams will have more incentive to sign younger pitchers like Skenes to extensions. But the time for the Pirates to lock in Skenes has likely already passed, unless they're willing to completely change the way they do business and make him a life-changing offer.

More MLB: Tigers' Tarik Skubal Plans Becoming Clear As Free Agency Looms