By Roy J.Akers — www.skyviewsports.net
Tigers are all making noise for plenty of different reasons. Detroit has already blown the Tarik Skubal negotiations and pushing the chips to the middle may be the only way of keeping the pitcher as an impending free agent.
Chris Illitch is making noise for all the wrong reasons
Chris Illitch is definitely NOT a chip off the old block. Mr. I was a verysoft touch compared to his son. Mr. I bankrolled the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup Champions before a NHL salary cap was developed after the 4th Cup. Mr. I, let Max Scherzer go as a free agent after his agent Scott Boras spurned the owners millions. The money was later saved for an over the hill Miguel Cabrerawho clearly had little left as an elite MLB player. Two-time American League MVP Miguel Cabrera agreed to terms with the Detroit Tigers on a new 10-year contract in 2014 that will pay him $292 million.
Cabrera did not retire until the Tigers’ paid him every last dollar.
That brings us to the 2026 MLB arbitration.
Tarik Skubal has hired that same Scott Boras, who is known for wringing out every last dollar from teams and could care less about MLB unless it benefits the agent. Chris I has already insulted Skubal, who wasasking for 32M for his final season before freeagency and is coming off back-to-back Cy Young Award seasons. The Tigers offered 19M and when arbitration day arrives, The Tigers will directly make their argument on why Skubal is not worth the money, all the while trying to sign him to a long-term deal. In addition, Boras client Alex Bregman spurned Detroit last year and signed a 175M deal with the Chicago Cubs after taking a one-year deal with Boston and opting out. Boras clients and the agent himself are money first and fans are not considered.
So, Detroit, good luck with that.
The Tigers will be stuck with a pitcher that they know will not resign with them for the 2027 season. According to The Athletic, “The potential for an addition might be less likely if they lose their arbitration case with left-hander Tarik Skubal and end up paying him $32 million instead of $19 million,” according to The Athletic.
An arbitration panel will review the Tigers-Skubal case during a hearing scheduled within the next month or so. The arbitrators must determine whether Skubal is worth more or less than the $25.5 million midpoint. If he’s worth more, they will select Skubal’s $32 million proposal; if less, they will select the Tigers’ $19 million proposal. The panel isn’t allowed to choose a salary in between $19 million and $32 million.
The Tigers offer of 19-million against the Skubal ask of 32M is the largest money difference in MLB arbitration history.
The Tigers arbitration will be thin. They have a back-to-back Cy Young award winner at the peak of his career and they will argue that Skubal shouldhave won 20 games even though the Tigers’ pop gun offense could not hita lick afterthe all-star game and his AL leading strikeout totals should have been better. Detroit should pay Skubal and do it now, or he is GONE.
Roy J. Akers covers MLB for www.skyviewsports.net
