Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal Sounds Like He Won't Negotiate New Deal This Offseason

The Detroit Tigers could be faced with an unthinkable choice this offseason.

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates striking out Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh I the sixth inning of ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers suffered a heartbreaking defeat on Friday night in Game 5 of the American League Divisional Series against the Seattle Mariners in 15 innings.

Despite what was yet another incredible start from soon-to-be repeat American League Cy Young ace Tarik Skubal, the Tigers simply could not provide him with enough run support to get it done and advance to their first ALCS since 2013.

While the focus now turns to the offseason and the hope that improvements can be made for a deeper run next year, there's a Skubal-sized elephant in the room which has loomed for the last year and will continue to be there.

Skubal is going to be a free agent after the 2026 season, and while there has been hope and optimism that Detroit is going to make a real effort to retain him, negotiations last year did not go well.

Asked once again about the possibility of negotiating an extension this offseason following the loss, Skubal certainly did not give any room for optimism that a deal is going to get done before he goes to the open market.

Skubal Shuts Down Extension Talks with Tigers After Loss

Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; (Editors note: Alternate crop) Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"My job is to play," Skubal said via Jon Morosi of MLB Network. "It’s not my job to do anything other than play. Those questions should be asked to the front office and the people who make those decisions."

Skubal's stance is probably a little bit of an oversimplification of the say a player has in where they end up playing, but given the fact that he is a Scott Boras client, seeing him sign an extension before free agency would be nothing short of a massive surprise.

The big lefty has said over and over again how much he loves the city of Detroit, the fans, and the opportunity to play for the Tigers. That doesn't mean however he is going to take the kind of massive discount ownership would likely ask him to take to sign him now.

Frankly, there's absolutely no reason why he should.

Skubal Has Had Special Run with Detroit Over Last Two Seasons

Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) reacts after striking out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (not pictured) during the sixth inning during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

No matter what happens this and next offseason with Skubal, he has already delivered some of the most memorable moments this franchise has seen in a very long time. Over the last two seasons, he has collected a 13.0 bWAR with a 2.30 ERA, 0.906 WHIP and a 31-10 record over his 62 starts with 469 strikeouts compared to just 68 walks in 387.1 innings pitched.

The numbers are obviously absurd, but Skubal more importantly has been the face of bringing this franchise back to contention and prominence. Whether that results in him sticking around long-term remains to be seen, but fans will always be thankful for that fact regardless of what happens from here.

This offseason should go a long way towards showing if it is at all realistic for Skubal to wind up sticking around long-term, and it should not be long before fans have some real answers.