Prominent Insider Reveals Whether Tarik Skubal Wants to Remain With Tigers or Not
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After the Detroit Tigers' season ended in agonizing fashion once again, the fanbase wasn't even able to recover from that heartbreak before hearing frustrating news about Tarik Skubal.
It was revealed the team and the superstar ace are a long ways away from getting an extension worked out, which put the left-hander right into the mix of trade rumors at the beginning of the offseason.
Subsequent information came out that indicates the Tigers are not looking to move him, which at least gives the fanbase something positive to fall back on since he's expected to head up this rotation in 2026. But the fact another elite player might be walking out of Detroit because ownership isn't willing to spend money is the latest frustrating thing in a long line of them.
However, Jeff Passan of ESPN was able to provide some good news when it comes to Skubal's desire to stay in the Motor City during his appearance on "Rich Eisen Show."
Jeff Passan via @RichEisenShow:
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) November 7, 2025
“Not Only would the Tigers like to re-sign Tarik Skubal, Tarik Skubal would like to stay in Detroit”
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"Not only would the Tigers like to re-sign Tarik Skubal, Tarik Skubal would like to stay in Detroit, too," Passan stated. "He really likes it there. He loves A.J. Hinch. Chris Fetter and Robin Lund, the pitching coaches there, are excellent. And they're the organization that not only took a chance on him, but helped him turn into the best pitcher in the world."
That at least is a good starting point when it comes to keeping Skubal with Detroit for the long haul. He's not actively wanting to leave the city or the team, which bodes well for the Tigers to get something done if they are able to meet his asking price.
Tigers Likely Have to Pay Record-Setting Contract to Keep Skubal
But if Detroit is giong to hold onto their ace, then they have to be willing to hand him a record-setting contract. Because Passan also believes Skubal's deal is going to be the most lucrative for a pitcher in baseball history.
"... he is going to command, as long as he stays healthy, more money than any pitcher in baseball history. Right now, the number is $325 million for Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Skubal is primed to absolutely smash that," Passan added.
So, while the Tigers want to keep him on their roster and Skubal wants to continue being a member of this team, ultimately, it's up to Detroit's ownership group to get something done. They've handed out lucrative deals in the past, but nothing close to an MLB record.
That will have to change to keep Skubal around long term.
