Skubal has been awarded a $32 million contract for 2026 through arbitration, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Thursday.
The hearing was held on Wednesday, as the Tigers and Skubal lobbied a panel made up of Jeanne Charles, Walt De Treux and Allen Ponak, which ultimately ruled in favour of the reigning Cy Young winner.
The highest arbitration salary for a pitcher was given to David Price in 2015 ($19.75) million, and the highest salary in an arbitration case decided by a panel was given to Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($19.9 million) in 2024.
Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado submitted a record request of $30 million in 2019, then agreed to a $260 million, eight-year contract without a hearing.
Juan Soto’s $31 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2024 is the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player.
A two-time All-Star, the 29-year-old Skubal will be eligible for free agency after the World Series. He is 54-37 with a 3.08 ERA in six major league seasons.
Skubal was 13-6 with an AL-best 2.21 ERA in 31 starts last year, striking out 241 and walking 33 in 195.1 innings while earning $10.5 million. His 0.89 WHIP topped qualified pitchers.
Eligible players have won both decisions thus far. Right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Baltimore Orioles’ offer of $2.875 million, and catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal.
Three cases have been argued with decisions withheld so as not to impact other players in arbitration: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million), Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million) and Tampa Bay right-hander Edwin Uceta ($1,525,000 vs. $1.2 million).
Seven players remain scheduled for hearings, which run through Feb. 13: Baltimore left-hander Keegan Akin ($3,375,000 vs. $2,975,000), Cincinnati right-hander Graham Ashcraft ($1.75 million vs. $1.25 million), Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).
— with files from The Associated Press
