The Detroit Tigers’ incredible season was largely fueled by their star left-handed pitcher, Tarik Skubal, who is a frontrunner for the Cy Young Award.
Detroit relied heavily on Skubal throughout their improbable journey to the postseason and their playoff run, which ended against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS. When Skubal wasn’t pitching, Detroit pieced together nine innings with a combination of relief pitchers and fringe starters.
Skubal, 27, is considered one of baseball’s elite pitchers and the cornerstone of the Tigers franchise. While under team control for two more seasons, Detroit is already eager to extend his contract beyond his current deal.
According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers have already attempted to extend Skubal’s contract in a non-competitive manner. He is expected to secure a lucrative long-term contract, whether it remains with the Tigers or comes from another team when he becomes a free agent after the 2026 season.
Detroit faces a busy offseason, needing to bolster their roster to achieve deeper playoff runs in the future. A right-handed hitter and another strong starting pitcher are key targets this winter. MLB national writer Mark Feinsand has indicated that Detroit is expected to be quite aggressive in pursuit of top free agents this year, including Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and available starting pitchers.
However, securing Skubal’s future remains their top priority.
