Newest Tarik Skubal Trade Update Bad News for Dodgers, Interested Teams

Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks off the field after the first inning against the Seattle Mariners during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The saga between Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers added another layer this week with the left-hander emerging victorious from an arbitration hearing between the two sides.

One year after settling at a $10.5 million salary, a gulf existed between the Tigers and Skubal for his final season of being arbitration-eligible. Detroit filed at $19 million while Skubal countered by asking for a $32 million salary.

The three-person arbitration panel sided with Skubal, who as a player with more than five years of service time and winner of back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards, was able to use a provision that allowed him to compare the salaries of all MLB players and not just those in arbitration.

The decision reignited speculation over Skubal's future with the club. Particularly with the Tigers just signing Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract while still awaiting a decision from the arbitration panel.

Will the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal?

Skubal is now entering his final season of team control and despite the Tigers losing their arbitration hearing, they don't appear interested in trading the 29-year-old, Ken Rosenthal said on "Foul Territory."

"After talking with a person who was briefed on their intentions, on their plans, that person said, 'We are not trading Tarik Skubal. Our intention is to win.'"

Skubal's name first surfaced in trade rumors earlier in the offseason, but that came with conflicting reports as to how motivated the Tigers were on finding a deal. There was some belief clarity would not come until after Skubal's arbitration situation was resolved.

Detroit is coming off a season in which they had a historic collapse that cost them the AL Central title. They still secured a Wild Card spot in the postseason and defeated the Cleveland Guardians, who had overtaken them for the division title.

The Tigers then fell short to the Seattle Mariners in the AL Division Series.

Tarik Skubal's free agency outlook

The expectation is Skubal will seek a contract around $400 million in free agency. That's not a deal the Tigers figure interested in coming to an agreement on, which suggests he could be on the move at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

The Tigers have prior experience in this type of scenario and chose to trade Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers at the deadline of his free agency year in 2024. Flaherty went on to win a World Series with the Dodgers but returned to the Tigers that offseason on a two-year, $35 million contract.

Flaherty's contract included a player option for the 2026 season, which he exercised.