Tarik Skubal Has Hilarious Request for Kevin McGonigle After $150M Deal
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The Detroit Tigers sent shockwaves across baseball on Wednesday morning when they announced they had agreed to terms on an eight-year, $150 million contract extension to keep him with the team through 2034.
McGonigle had played just 17 MLB games, but clearly Detroit has seen everything they have needed to from him both on and off the field to show enough faith to hand him the life-changing contract.
The highlight of the day though, came from the press conference announcing the news, which featured McGonigle, general manager Jeff Greenberg, president of baseball operations Scott Harris, McGonigle's parents, and a number of his teammates as well in the back of the room.
Towards the end of the questions for the trio on the podium, superstar ace Tarik Skubal chimed in with his own question for the youngster, and it sounds like McGonigle will be footing the bill on a team dinner to celebrate.
Skubal Wants McGonigle to Pick Up the Tab on Upcoming Road Trip
Tarik Skubal to Kevin McGonigle after the rookie signed a $150 million extension: "There’s an upcoming road trip in Boston, couple day games Saturday and Sunday. I was just wondering if you planned on taking the boys out to dinner?"
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) April 15, 2026
McGonigle: "I’m sure I can take care of it." pic.twitter.com/6HsoCD2hOo
"There's an upcoming roadtrip in Boston," Skubal began as everyone in the room turned around with a laugh to see the repeat Cy Young winner getting in on the press conference questions. "With day games Saturday and Sunday, I was just wondering if you planned on taking the boys out to dinner? Has that crossed your mind yet?"
"It definitely has," McGonigle said through a huge smile. "I'm sure I can take care of it."
Clearly, this team has embraced the 21-year-old as one of their own despite his lack of experience, knowing he can help them accomplish their goals of winning a World Series. For McGonigle's teammates to show up for the press conference speaks volumes, and the face of the franchise in Skubal and all of Detroit's clubhouse clearly thinks extremely highly of him.
Tigers Can Now Focus Completely on Winning Games
Detroit got off to a rough start to the season, but now winning four in a row even before McGonigle signed the deal with the rookie contributing heavily, it seems like this is a great chance for the team to come together and hit their stride.
This is a legitimate World Series contender, and McGonigle is a huge part of the reason why. With a clubhouse that is as tightly knit as any in all of baseball, the 21-year-old has been fully accepted and welcomed in.
Now that he's inked a deal to keep him in the Motor City for almost a decade, it's time for the page to be turnt and the Tigers to start finding another gear. If they do that, Kevin McGonigle will be a massive part of the reason why.
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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.