Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case against the Detroit Tigers, securing a record $32 million salary for the upcoming season. The decision was handed down Thursday following a hearing earlier in the week and represents the highest arbitration award ever for a pitcher.
Skubal, represented by Scott Boras, had filed at $32 million while the Tigers countered at $19 million, leaving a $13 million gap between the two sides. The arbitration panel sided with Skubal, setting a new precedent for arbitration salaries and reflecting his status as one of the game’s elite starters.
The ruling comes after Skubal’s dominant season, in which he established himself as the ace of Detroit’s rotation and one of the top pitchers in Major League Baseball. Despite the record-setting award, reporting from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic has indicated the Tigers intend to keep Skubal and build around him, especially after recently adding Framber Valdez to the rotation.
Skubal’s case is now expected to influence future arbitration negotiations for top-tier pitchers, particularly those approaching free agency with Cy Young–level resumes.
