Tarik Skubal, the back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, has won his arbitration hearing, earning a $32 million salary for the 2026 season, according to sources. The three-person arbitration panel sided with Skubal’s proposal over the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer. While the Tigers have not officially confirmed the decision, the award makes Skubal one of the highest-paid pitchers in Major League Baseball, ranking fifth in base salary among all MLB pitchers for the upcoming season.
Skubal Sets New Arbitration Record Highlighting Elite Performance Among MLB Pitchers
This is the highest salary ever granted to a pitcher through the arbitration process and surpasses the previous Tigers record for an arbitration-eligible player, which was David Price’s $19.75 million contract in 2015. Last season, Skubal earned $10.15 million under a one-year contract he reached with Detroit to avoid arbitration. The ruling reflects Skubal’s elite performance and rising stature among the league’s top pitchers.
Tarik Skubal (MLB)As an arbitration-eligible player with over five years of service, Skubal and agent Scott Boras were able to use comparisons across all MLB pitchers, not just former arbitration cases. Top pitchers like Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Jacob deGrom ($38 million), and Gerrit Cole ($36 million) were cited to justify the award. MLB rules require the arbitration panel to select either the player’s or the team’s proposal, with no compromise figure allowed.
Skubal’s $32 Million Raise Reinforces Role As Tigers’ Key Rotation Leader
Skubal will remain a Tiger in 2026 unless traded, though trade interest has decreased as other teams focused elsewhere. His new salary makes him Detroit’s second-highest-paid player, behind left-hander Framber Valdez, who signed a three-year, $115 million deal averaging $38 million per year.
The arbitration victory emphasizes Skubal’s dominance on the mound and his value to the Tigers. With a major raise from his 2025 earnings, the contract sets a new benchmark for arbitration-eligible pitchers and strengthens his position as a key figure in Detroit’s rotation as he approaches free agency.
