Tigers Insider Believes Extension with Ace Tarik Skubal 'Just Isn’t Happening'
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The Detroit Tigers enter the upcoming offseason with one massive, soon-to-be repeat American League Cy Young sized elephant in the room.
As Detroit tries to figure out what it's going to do with Tarik Skubal, it seems like the most ideal potential option -- at least in the minds of fans who have fallen in love with the big left-hander -- is becoming less and less of a possibility.
Reports surrounding contract extension negotiations between Skubal and the Tigers last offseason have been all negative, illustrating just how far apart the two sides were a year ago, and that was before another spectacular season, which might have been even better than 2024.
With Skubal now just one year away from hitting the open market, the possibility of an extension before he reaches free agency looks slimmer and slimmer. One Detroit insider all but confirmed this fact this week when Cody Stavenhagen spoke during a recent episode of the Tiger Territory podcast.
Skubal Will Not Sign Extension with Tigers, Insider Says
“An extension probably just isn’t happening, and I think that’s the more important takeaway.”
— Tiger Territory (@TigerTerritory_) October 21, 2025
@CodyStavenhagen shares his take on the $250 million reported gap between Tarik Skubal and the Tigers. pic.twitter.com/uIDZ2zZOf8
"The Tigers, it seems as though, have never been serious about presenting Skubal with the [huge] 10-year offer; if that's at all in the works, it has not happened yet," Stavenhagen said in reference to last week's reported $250 million gap in negotiations between the player and team.
"We've heard from Chris Ilitch, we've heard from Scott Harris, we've heard somewhat from Tarik Skubal, and basically none of them have said anything of substance or anything that would indicate there is real interest in getting a $300, $350, $400 million deal done...From all the signs from all we know, the idea of an extension probably just isn’t happening, and I think that’s the more important takeaway regardless of whatever number and framing is in some of the headlines."
As Stavenhagen has pointed out, while the exact reporting from various publications may be slightly different, based on what Ilitch has said and Harris has said, it does not seem like there is motivation anymore on the team side to try to extend Skubal now.
This of course leaves Detroit with a major decision to make about what to do with him.
Tigers Facing Only Two Real Options with Skubal Now
If Detroit really has seen the extension ship for Skubal sail, then this leaves them with one of two choices this winter. They can try to go all in for 2026 and surround the roster with as much talent as possible via a spending spree and some trades to try to get over the hump now, but this would come with accepting that Skubal is probably wearing another uniform in 2027.
It's safe to say most Tigers fans would take this option if it came with a championship, but of course there's no guarantee, and if he left in free agency, Detroit would get nothing more than a compensatory draft pick.
The other option, though is much less pleasant, and of course it would be to trade Skubal now for the maximum return and sacrifice that final year with the best pitcher on the planet leading their rotation, but getting back a massive haul in exchange.
Neither option is going to please fans, but realistically, it seems that is where the Tigers are at here. Things could change, of course; however, it seems more likely than not that Skubal is going to eventually play elsewhere, whether it's next season or beyond.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.