Surgery for Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal Will Not Tank Contract Value, Insider Says

The Detroit Tigers superstar still is going to get paid.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers got some absolutely brutal news on Monday when it was revealed by the team that star ace Tarik Skubal was going to have surgery to remove loose bodies in his pitching elbow.

While the hope is that he could return within a couple of months, these things often prove more complicated, and until a definitive timeline is revealed, folks are going to openly wonder whether or not Skubal will be back healthy this season.

Of course, the first question most asked was about the left-hander's impending free agency. Given that he was expected to earn a record-breaking contract on the open market after the season, this could obviously change things dramatically.

During a discussion on the MLB Network however, baseball insider Tom Verducci does not share in the belief some have echoed that this is going to tank Skubal's value.

Verducci Says Skubal Will Be Fine Contract Wise

"I don't think it's going to destroy his value. He's still Tarik Skubal."

Tom Verducci, @StevePhillipsGM and @CY24_7 discuss how they believe Skubal's injury will affect the Tigers moving forward. pic.twitter.com/niie21SWst

— MLB Now (@MLBNow) May 5, 2026

Verducci emphasized the fact that it's not supposed to be a major surgery and he should be back on the mound this season, saying that while he will obviously not win a third straight Cy Young award, he still has a great chance to set the record for largest pitcher contract ever.

For Detroit, that may not be the best news with the one silver lining of this situation being a better chance at retaining Skubal, however if they can indeed stay in contention without him, the southpaw will make them a World Series contender should he come back healthy.

The rather optimistic three-month timeline would take Skubal out until right around the trade deadline, but if the team is within striking distance, trading him will likely be out of the equation.

Tigers Impending Offseason Decisions Just Got More Interesting

Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Detroit was always going to have a rough time if they really wanted to keep Skubal, but an offer was expected from their camp. Now, they will have to weigh whether or not to even make a competitive contract proposal given that Skubal has been healthy for just three full seasons in his career.

While it may be more realistic to have a chance at keeping Skubal now, the Tigers may be better off spending their cash elsewhere. Nonetheless, an offseason that was always going to place Detroit at center stage just got even more interesting than it already was.

Skubal's impending contract is going to be one of the most highly discussed narratives over the next couple of months as he tries to work his way back to the mound and hopefully help the Tigers make another playoff run.