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sports1d ago
Tigers Arbitration Strategy With Skubal Hints at Long-Term Trouble
Si.com and 1 more
- Tarik Skubal's 2026 arbitration figures highlighted a wide gap between the Tigers and the ace, signaling lingering contract tensions as he nears free agency.
- Detroit had previously offered Skubal $19.8 million for 2026, a figure the team reportedly did not exceed before arbitration.
- Analysts view the $13 million arbitration gap as a signal of ongoing tension and a potential obstacle to a long-term extension.
- The gap fuels debate about whether Detroit will keep Skubal into 2027 or trade him before or during the upcoming season.
- Skubal has stated a desire to remain in Detroit, but the dispute could complicate long-term extension talks.
- Industry chatter suggests Skubal could change teams by 2027, depending on how the arbitration outcome and finances unfold.
- The arbitration exchange is framed as a focal point in evaluating the Tigers' overall roster strategy and approach to stability around Skubal.
- Trade-market context shows teams weighing 2026 commitment against surrounding 2027 free-agent implications for Skubal.
- Experts note a potential pre-hearing or summer trade could maximize return, though pre-hearing deals carry reputational risks.
- Recent trade-history context, including Betts-Dodgers precedent, is noted as a reference point for Skubal's market dynamics amid negotiation drama.
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