The wait is over for Tarik Skubal. In one of the most famous arbitration decisions ever, a three-person panel awarded the Detroit Tigers’ ace a $32 million salary for the 2026 season. This obliterates the previous record arbitration payout of $19.75 million for Detroit’s David Price in 2015. It also surpasses New York Yankees’ Juan Soto’s $31 million 2024 award for the highest salary for any arbitration-eligible player.
Skubal’s historic win also signifies the highest raise ever awarded to any arbitration-eligible player. His $22 million raise from his previous salary of $10.15 million surpasses the previous record set by Jacob deGrom, who received a $9.6 million raise from the New York Mets in 2019.
Skubal’s Record and Arbitration Negotiations
Skubal has won two straight American League Cy Young Awards. The arbitration win follows two seasons of mound dominance. In 2024, he was 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and a league-leading 228 strikeouts. In 2025, he compiled a 13-6 record with a 2.21 ERA and recorded 241 strikeouts. He is in elite company as he is one of only 12 pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to win consecutive Cy Young Awards.
The Tigers will enter the season with Skubal on the roster. He is expected to be looking for a contract in the $400 million range after he becomes a free agent at season’s end. His salary was granted by the panel of arbitrators after their meeting in Arizona on Wednesday. His agent, Scott Boras, cited a hidden clause in the rules as the reason for Skubal’s request for the unprecedented amount.
He said the arbitrators should compare his client’s contract to any player in the game, not only to players with contracts decided by arbitration. Boras pointed out that Skubal’s contract demands should be considered alongside the salaries of Philadelphia Phillies starter Zack Wheeler ($42 million), the Rangers’ deGrom ($38 million), and the Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole ($36 million).
The Road Ahead
Who knows how much longer Skubal will wear a Detroit Tigers uniform? With his pending free agency at the end of the 2026 season, Detroit may try to unload him to a playoff contender as the MLB trade deadline approaches in July. To hedge their bets, Detroit just signed former Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115 million contract. The wheels will continue to turn on this fluid situation as the season progresses.
