The Detroit Tigers’ offseason has taken a turn for the dramatic, and at the center of it all is ace left-hander Tarik Skubal. While trade rumors have swirled, the real tension right now lies in the arbitration room - or more accurately, in the silence that preceded it.
Let’s break it down: Arbitration is usually a back-and-forth process. A team submits a number, the player’s camp counters with a higher figure, and the two sides try to meet somewhere in the middle. If they can’t find common ground, it goes to a hearing, where a third party picks one number or the other - no compromises.
In Skubal’s case, things didn’t follow the usual script. According to reports, the Tigers offered $19.8 million to the 29-year-old, a solid opening number for a frontline starter.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, reportedly never submitted a counteroffer. No middle ground.
No back-and-forth. Just silence.
That left Detroit in the dark. Front office sources suggest the team was ready to negotiate - even willing to bump their offer north of $20 million, perhaps all the way up to $25 million. But with no response from Boras, the Tigers had no choice but to lock in their $19.8 million figure as their official arbitration number.
Then, just before the deadline to exchange numbers, Boras submitted a $32 million proposal - a massive jump and the first time Detroit saw what Skubal’s side was asking for.
That late move locked both sides into a high-stakes arbitration case. Now, unless a deal is struck before the hearing, a panel will choose between the Tigers’ $19.8 million and Boras’ $32 million - nothing in between.
It’s worth noting that Detroit never intended for $19.8 million to be their final offer. The front office, by all accounts, was open to negotiating and increasing the figure. But with no dialogue from Boras’ camp, the process stalled before it could even begin.
As it stands, the arbitration hearing is slated to take place sometime between January 26 and February 13. There’s still time for both sides to come to an agreement and avoid the hearing altogether, but that window is closing fast.
For the Tigers, this isn’t just about dollars and cents - it’s about maintaining a relationship with one of the most important arms in their rotation. And for Skubal, who’s coming off a strong campaign and entering his prime, this arbitration case could set the tone for what’s next in his career, whether that’s a long-term extension in Detroit or something else entirely.
One thing’s clear: the Tigers were ready to negotiate. But without a seat at the table from Boras, they never got the chance. Now, both sides are locked in, and the decision will come down to a simple - but expensive - choice.