The Detroit Tigers shocked the baseball world in 2024 by making the playoffs by rallying in the season’s last quarter as the hottest baseball team. The only recognized name on the roster for the casual fan may have been AL Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal. Skubal was at times unhittable en route to achieving the pitching Triple Crown.
On Thursday, the Detroit Tigers and Skubs came to terms on a one-year deal worth $10.15 million. The agreement between both sides ensures that the Tigers ace avoids arbitration and gives the team one more year to figure out a multi-year deal before he hits Free Agency in 2026.
Tarik Skubal’s 2024 Cy Young Season
On August 10th, 2024, the Detroit Tigers sat eight games under .500. As a seller at the trade deadline, the Tigers seemed to have packed it in for the season. They had less than a five percent chance of making the playoffs. Manager AJ Hinch was limited in his lineup and rotation. Then the magic, voodoo, or whatever you want to call it happened. Hinch was brilliant in piecing each game together with limited resources. The rotation was basically Skubal and bullpen arms. Detroit’s version of “Moneyball” took them to a 31-13 record to finish out the season earning a Wildcard spot in the playoffs.
At times, Tarik Skubal was the only real starting pitcher in Detroit’s rotation. His 18-4 record was almost guaranteeing a Tigers victory every time he took the bump. In his fifth season, Skubs had career highs in Wins (18), Strikeouts (228), and ERA (2.39) while leading the AL in all three categories. This would also be his second straight season with an ERA under three. The Tigers will try to build on the accomplishments of last season with Skubal at the top of the rotation for at least one more year.
Skubal and Detroit’s Future
As far as Skubal goes, he is under team control now for the 2025 season after the one-year deal worth over $10 million. He avoids arbitration and will be looking for a big multi-year deal after the upcoming season. To get a done deal with a lively arm and one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball seems like a no-brainer, right? Not so fast! 99.9 percent of us would do whatever it takes to get a long-term deal done this season to avoid their best pitcher hitting the Free Agent market.
The current owner of the team Chris Illitch may not feel the same way. Illitch since taking over the team from his late father, has turned this great baseball city into a small market team refusing to spend any money.
Detroit fans won’t admit that the Tigers have turned into a small-market team under Illitch, but the proof is in the pudding. The Tigers’ payroll is almost $60 million below the MLB average, and it’s been similar to this for several years since Mike Illitch’s passing in 2017. The team also holds one of the worst contracts in baseball, belonging to Javy Baez, and refuses to spend on big-name free agents.
Final Thoughts
I miss the days of Mike Illitch spending money, getting players, and being contenders every year. The Tigers finally snapped their playoff drought this past season, but it took the most magical run in recent history. Skubal is one of the most dominant pitchers in the league and probably the best left-handed pitcher in baseball. If the Tigers do not pay him long-term or let him hit Free Agency, it will be an epic fail.
I am so sick of the team’s continuous use of one-year prove-it deals in the offseason that most of the time result in a trade deadline deal. They have certain young pieces in place and need to bring in proven players to get back to a consistent competitive level. I mean, how many times can we ride the Spencer Torkleson roller coaster? Pay Skubal and get the damn deal done Tigers!
