Tarik Skubal breaks silence on trade rumors pulling him away from the Tigers

Tarik Skubal had a truly excellent season, posting a 2.21 ERA, which inevitably attracted attention and inserted his name into trade conversations involving other teams. The pitcher recently addressed these rumors, looking ahead to future negotiations with the Detroit Tigers or other clubs.

“It’s not like I want to be traded, so it’s kind of like, why am I being traded? Why am I in these conversations?” Skubal said on Foul Territory about the speculation. He also revealed how he typically handles the situation, stating, “But I try to just stay out of it, that’s always how I’ve handled in years past.”

Notably, a fan recently tried to ask him for an autograph while wearing a Yankees hat, which he declined, saying, “Get outta here, that’s not my hat,” in a show of what could be deemed ‘loyalty’ toward the Tigers, where he has played since 2020.

How much could Skubal earn in 2026?

According to Spotrac, Skubal could easily receive $22.5 million next season, which is the estimate provided by the sports contract specialty website. It is not confirmed if the Tigers will be the ones paying him that money, but they are certainly in the running.

For those unaware, Scott Boras is Skubal’s agent, meaning negotiations will not be easy for the Tigers or any other team. A pitcher of his caliber is obviously a highly sought-after option, but any team that wants him will have to pay a very high price.

Skubal made history last season by claiming the AL Cy Young Award for the second consecutive year, becoming the first pitcher in either league to win back-to-back awards since Jacob deGrom (2018-19). He is also the first American League pitcher to achieve this feat since Pedro Martinez did so in 1999 and 2000.