Tarik Skubal Could Join Elite Company with Another Cy Young Level Season
In this story:
The Detroit Tigers' offseason has been completely drowned out by all the noise surrounding Tarik Skubal. On the surface, it seems reasonable that Skubal should receive an extension, or at the very least, reach a fair figure to avoid arbitration.
Instead, Detroit never ruled out the possibility of a Skubal trade, nor did they come remotely close to the number he was asking for ($32 million). It has been a disaster from the start, and quite frankly, it shouldn't be this complicated to give one of the best players in baseball what he deserves.
At the moment, it seems probable that Skubal will stay with the Tigers for the 2026 season, and he could be joining some elite company.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Skubal is Projected to Earn Second Career Triple Crown
Over the last two seasons, Skubal has put up breathtaking numbers. The back-to-back A.L. Cy Young award winner has struck out a combined 469 hitters the last two years. He has accumulated a 31-10 record and has led the A.L. in ERA in both seasons.
Per fangraphs.com, Skubal is projected to lead the MLB in ERA (2.81) and strikeouts (242). His projected 14 wins would tie for the lead. Only five pitchers have led their league in ERA in three or more consecutive seasons: Sandy Koufax (1962-66), Clayton Kershaw (2011-14), Lefty Grove (1929-32), Greg Maddux (1993-95), and Roger Clemens (1990-92).
If the projections hold, Skubal would become the sixth pitcher in MLB history to have multiple triple crowns. It's certainly within his grasp to do so, as he's continued to dominate every time he steps on the mound. That is what's making Tigers fans so frustrated with their offseason approach.
Detroit has a generational pitcher that can single-handedly win games in October. After a sluggish end to the regular season, the Tigers rallied to knock off the Cleveland Guardians in the wild-card round. They eventually lost in five games to the Seattle Mariners in the divisional series.
Despite that, Detroit has been relatively quiet this offseason. The front office hasn't made any significant external additions to its lineup, while signing Kenley Jansen and Drew Anderson to one-year deals. The Tigers desperately need offensive help, and they haven't addressed it.
Skubal will lead a starting rotation that is expected to be a solid group. Casey Mize turned in a solid 2025 campaign, winning 14 games and posting a 3.87 ERA. However, they could use one more veteran arm, and there are multiple guys available.
It's almost a guarantee that Skubal will have another marvelous season in 2026. Hopefully for Tigers fans, the front office will honor that and keep Skubal in a Detroit uniform for years to come.
Don't miss out on any news or analysis. Take a moment and sign up for our free newsletter and get content delivered straight to your mailbox daily!
Recommended Articles
Zion Trammell graduated from TCU in 2023 with a degree in sports broadcasting and journalism. He currently writes for TCU Horned Frogs on SI. In addition to writing, he is the play-by-play voice for Southlake Carroll baseball and hosts a TCU show on the Bleav Network. X: @zion_trammell