The Tigers were the best team in the American League for a few months. They had a quiet deadline and narrowly avoided what would've been a historic collapse. While winning the Wild Card series and pushing the Mariners to the brink in the Division Series kept this from being a complete disaster, they unquestionably lost momentum in the second half. They're now facing a couple free agent departures and questions about the future for the sport's best pitcher.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Javier Báez, SS: $48MM through 2027
- Jack Flaherty, RHP: $20MM player option for 2026
- Colt Keith, 3B: $20.642MM through 2029 (including buyout of '30 club option; deal also includes club options for 2031-32)
Option Decisions
- RHP Jack Flaherty holds $20MM player option
- Team, RHP Paul Sewald hold $10MM mutual option ($1MM buyout)
- Team holds $4MM option on RHP José Urquidy
Additional Financial Commitments
- Owe $1MM buyout to outrighted RHP Randy Dobnak
- Owe $500K buyout to released RHP John Brebbia
2026 guaranteed contracts: $30.5MM or $50.5MM depending on Flaherty's option decision
Total future commitments: $71.142MM or $91.142MM through 2029 depending on Flaherty
Arbitration-Eligible Players (service time in parentheses; projected salaries courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Tanner Rainey (5.167): $1.6MM
- Tarik Skubal (5.114): $17.8MM
- Casey Mize (5.111): $5.4MM
- Jake Rogers (5.040): $2.9MM
- Will Vest (4.100): $3.3MM
- Zach McKinstry (4.099): $3.5MM
- Matt Vierling (4.026): $3.1MM
- Jason Foley (3.150): $3.15MM
- Alex Lange (3.145): $900K
- Andy Ibañez (3.133): $1.8MM
- Riley Greene (3.110): $6.6MM
- Spencer Torkelson (3.076): $5.1MM
- Kerry Carpenter (3.057): $3.5MM
- Beau Brieske (3.056): $1.3MM
- Tyler Holton (3.047): $1.7MM
Non-tender candidates: Rainey, Vierling, Foley, Lange, Ibañez, Brieske
Free Agents
- Jack Flaherty (if he opts out), Gleyber Torres, Kyle Finnegan, Tommy Kahnle, Rafael Montero, Chris Paddack, Paul Sewald, Alex Cobb
It took just a few days after the Tigers were eliminated for speculation to begin about Tarik Skubal. He's a few weeks from his second Cy Young award and now a year away from free agency. Jon Heyman of The New York Post has already suggested Skubal could seek a $400MM contract. Heyman reported that was at least $250MM above what the Tigers were willing to offer during extension talks last winter. Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free-Press subsequently reported that Detroit had offered a four-year deal between $80MM and $100MM.
That was a noncompetitive proposal when Skubal was two years from the open market. His asking price has only climbed after another dominant season that moved him a year closer to free agency. It's not accurate to say that they're facing a $300MM gap -- the Tigers would obviously be willing to offer more than that now -- but it doesn't exactly point to them being likely to hammer out a long-term deal. That naturally leads to wishcasting from other teams (and their fanbases) about the possibility of pulling off a blockbuster trade.
There hasn't been any reporting that the Tigers intend to seriously hear teams out on Skubal, much less actively shop him. The rumors to date have been driven by a few recent instances of contending clubs trading a superstar before his final season of arbitration. The Mookie Betts trade was a disaster for the Red Sox. The Padres did quite well when they traded Juan Soto to the Yankees, winning 90+ games in each of the following two seasons. The Brewers got a solid but not overwhelming return for Corbin Burnes and have remained one of the NL's best teams over the past couple years. The Astros landed a strong three-player package for Kyle Tucker but narrowly missed the playoffs in year one.
The Tigers have made consecutive playoff appearances after a nine-year drought. The front office has already come under fire for a deadline where they deepened the pitching staff in bulk without parting with any significant prospects for an impact acquisition (aside from arguably Kyle Finnegan). They already have a top-tier farm system and could enter the offseason with as little as $30.5MM in guaranteed contracts. They can easily accommodate a projected $17.8MM arbitration salary for Skubal.
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C Dingler and Rogers
1B Tork
2B Max Anderson/ McKinstry
SS Baez/ Trei Cruz
3B Keith
LF Greene
CF Trent Grisham/ Parker Meadows
RF Wenceel Perez
DH Carpenter
Starters: Skubal, Mize, Framber Valdez, Olson, Melton
Bullpen: Ryan Helsley, Vest, Alex Vesia, Holton, Hurter, Hanifee, Dylan Smith
Alex Vesia will not be a free agent this winter.
Is Colt Keith’s glove passable at 3B? His best position was always hitter and he spent a lot of time at DH this year.
Yes, he is passable at 3B. He was kind of blocked at 2B by Torres and at 1B by Tork. Keith just turned 24. He improved his game in 2025 by drawing a ton more walks.
Keith should be at 2B, unless he learns to catch pop ups at 3B. Shorter throws and he never had the pop up problem in the middle infield..
The Tigers seem to be angling that way, giving Max A and McGonigle plenty of reps at 3B in AFL.
His glove is improving. It’s his throwing arm that’s been erratic from 3B.
Starters: Olson, Mize, Sawyer Gibson Long, Keider Montero, Tyler Holton,
At least 2 more starters obtained in trade(s) and free agent signing(s)
Skubal is in rotation if he is not traded.
Skubal is more likely than not to be traded.
It is Scherzer 2.0 (Boras as agent).
If one of the teams with an absolutely loaded farm system offers a truckload of talent that could be a franchise changing trade for the next 5-10 years, then they Tigers very likely will have to take that deal rather than just settle for a draft pick for Skubal.
Wake up and smell the coffee.
There is a 75% chance that Skubal is traded.
If a trade is going to happen, then it would be better for all parties concerned for it to happen by the end of Spring Training 2026.
The Tigers would get a much better return of players if Skubal pitches the entire 2026 season for a his new club.
Tigers could use a young CF who can hit very well, a solid 2 way SS or 3B. and more pitching.
Tigers could also use 2 major league ready,, young highly rated starting pitchers plus some other promising players.
Like Scherzer, who left as a free agent, Skubal will only be traded if the Tigers are offered an outstanding deal. That’s unlikely to happen. The ChiSox did not get any of the BoSox top three pros[ects when they traded Crochet, who had two years of team control left and was willing to negotiate an extension. While Skubal is the more accomplished pitcher, with one year left and likely going to free agency, there is only so much a team can offer. The Yankees gave up a package of Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez and Kyle Higashioka for a one year rental of Juan Soto. Not sure the Tigers get that much for Skubal, not sure a package like that is worth giving up a year of Skubal. If, as seems to me more likely, they start next season with Skubal, they need to spend big in the off season to add talent that makes the most of that one year.
Crochet situation was different. He was coming off injuries.. He was a reliever and not an established starter at the time. There was more risk gambling on Crochet. It worked out great for Boston and the White Sox. But, you cannot compare soon to be 2X in a row Cy Young Winner in his prime and a proven innnings eater with the Crochet situation. Skubal is already proven to be the top starter in the AL and maybe all of MLB. Skubal’s is gold. He is at peak value Skubal’s value is more aligned with the Nats return for trading Soto to the Padres for 1 1/2 years.
The Tigers did not even try to trade Scherzer in his walk year. Been posting about that since Scherzer and Boras turned down Mike I;s best offer. Tigers shouldhave traded Scherzere that winter of his last year/.walk year, The players Dombrowski could have received in return would have helped the Tigers avoid the wheels coming off the team that lead to the long painful teardown of a team full off high priced aging veterans in decline.
Hindsight needed. He had Porcello, Price, JV, and Scherzer. That team could’ve won a World Series. His mistake was not moving Kinsler and JDM and accepting it was over the year after.
But ownership was trying to win and painted him into a corner w/ all those deals. There was always going to be bad times in Detroit after that spending spree. Too much $ locked up to old guys in immovable contracts.
Sounds like you’re saying that the Tigers could really use Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle.
From what I hear I don’t think McGonigle is a long term SS. 2nd or 3rd base seem much more likely.
I agree that Clark definitely should be filling that CF hole within a year or two though. If we got a long term answer at SS in a Skubal trade, that could put Baez in CF until Clark is ready to take over. And with Parker Meadows in the mix as well, I don’t see that as being a real hole in the roster.
SS is a different story going forward unless McGonigle can handle it.
I think McGonigle will take over the 2B spot just to get his bat in the lineup now. Bryce Rainer is the SS of the future. Rainer was hurt last year but might make some movement in 2026. Maybe he could be up by 2027.
I think they may give Max Anderson a shot this spring and if he does well, he comes north. 2B is his only position. He has to hit like crazy to get called up. He’s probably a AAAA player.
I could see them package some AAAA players for a salary dump or veteran player… Jung, Malloy, and Sweeney to the Rangers for Corey Seager? LOL Seager has a limited no trade contract… 8 teams are on it… not sure who.
Yes,when they are ready to produce in the big leagues.
You’re worried about McGonigle at SS, but you want no range Seager there? Any team trading for Seager is likely moving him to 3B/2B. I would be fine with McGonigle in the short term at SS, but don’t see him getting the call til mid season .
Melchez… Can Bellinger still play CF? One good year of Grisham does not make me a believer and his defense was not as good this year. I’d have Lee over Cruz with McGonigle here sooner rather than later. Carp and Perez have been splitting time in the OF (righty/lefty). Go get Kyle Schwarber to DH. I like the real #2 in Valdez, or a trade for Peralta would work too. Time to swing big!
Yes, it’s time to add top talent. These reclamation projects are ok, but they aren’t the answer. I think 2 top players need to be added. I was thinking Kyle Tucker because of his youth and his excellent hitting… that would be a huge addition, but too many teams would want him. Grisham had a career year… but he was top prospect and had a huge ceiling. He could be there now. And he’s young. Framber Valdez is always healthy and a top starter. That would give the Tigers 3 guys who could be aces in Skubal, Mize and Valdez. Clark and McGonigle are close… that will be their CF and 2B or 3B. The thing is they are rookies and you never know how rookies will do.
2 top players… that’s what they need to add… maybe a few decent bullpen arms.
Bellinger is doing it with smoke and mirrors… exit velocity of 88 mph… hard hit rate of 38%… up from his previous 2 years that were just above 30%. Bellinger hit over .300 in Yankee stadium. His outfield defense is good, but he’s more of a corner OFer now. CF in an emergency.
Maybe a Brendan Donovan type to lead off and move around the field instead of Bellinger? They need to sign a big middle of the order bat and someone to replace Torres on base ability…Donovan can get in base. Not many spots up for grabs. I hope they don’t chase Bregman after last year.
Are Grisham’s stats a product of Yankee stadium? Never so many HRs, so few doubles?
I like it, but you have to put Kevin McGonigle somewhere (like 2B, pushing McKinstry to SS or Utility, where he excels).
Just sayin’…
PS Love the Valdez signing, too!
Tigers aren’t trading Skubal. Not this winter. Not at the deadline. They’ve got him for one more season and the possibility of winning a WS with the best pitcher in the league is far more valuable than any prospect they could get for him.
Just spitballing here but the team is pretty much all under contract for the next few years with 2 top 10 prospects coming.
I’d love to see Skubal extend and stay in Detroit but if you could get something like McLean, Sproat, and Carson Benge that would give you a ton of talent and extend that contention window. I think they probably keep him but if something crazy is thrown out there—it’d have to be considered.
Agree. The Tigers should try to sign a top tier free agent starter this off season and go all in for 2026. The only way they trade Skubal will be at the deadline and if the Tigers are buried in the standings…which they could be if they hit next year like they did in September.
I would extend Torres the QO and hope he takes it. One more year of Glyber at 2B will give Keith, Anderson and McGonigal the whole season to figure out their best defensive fits.
Me? I’d love to see Max Clark rip in in spring training and steal the CF spot from Meadows. Of course, it wouldn’t hurt if Meadows decided to hit again. I’m concerned about that kid.
Gleyber Torres is not taking a qualifying offer. He will have multiple teams throwing 3-4 year offers his way. For the right price, Torres would be a great player to resign to complement the younger players on the way.
Win:Win for Tigers. If he takes the QO the Tigers have him, but just one year. If he doesn’t they get a draft pick. Torres has to deal with the possibility that having a draft pick attached to his signing might reduce other team’s making an offer he likes. If he takes the QO, he can become a FA again next year, but he can’t be offered a QO again. He might think raking $22 million this year then getting a 3-5 yr @ $15-$20/yr id better. He will still be fairly young next year.
The QO route seems to be the most strategic. And Torres should readily respect the Tigers’ right to attach that, as he was using the Tigers to his advantage, as well.
If he leaves, Tigs get a pick. If he stays, he fits in the INF mix again for 1 more year. He had a stabilizing effect on the lineup when he was healthy, and he seemed to have a good impact on Javy.
If both Skubal and Torres leave, we get two picks.
Unless the Tigers fortify their starting pitching staff, their clutch hitting and their bullpen, they do not match up against the Dodgers and some other top tier teams.
Subal could be wasted in Detroit if the Tigers don’t build a much better ballclub around him in 2026.
If that better ballclub is in ’27 or ’28, then that will be too late because Skubal will be gone.
They need to trade Skubal. His injury history is not worth the 400 million dollar future investment nor the value of a comp pick when he leaves after next season. Big market teams will compete against one another to come up with the best trad package, thus benefiting the Tigers long term. They have a vast amount of top position player prospects on the cusp of becoming big leaguers. They need to flip Skubal for some young solid pitching prospects with a hitter attached to it. (Dodgers will give up Sheehan and Sasaki and a hitting prospect)
I doubt the Dodgers would trade Sasaki.
They might for Skubal. Sasaki’s been great as a reliever in the postseason but Skubal is the 2nd best pitcher in baseball and they have the resources to sign him to a fat extension.
Skubal is great, but the Dodgers have made a commitment to Sasaki’s enormous potential and have him at a team-friendly price. There’s no reason to trade him for one year of Skubal. As it line’s up for 2026, Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, Ohtani, Sheehan, and Sasaki is plenty of startring pitching (with Gavin Stone and River Ryan returning from injuries). If the Dodgers splurge, it would probably be for an outfielder.
The Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Mets, Cubs, Giants, etc motivations for trading for 1 year of Skubal are numerous including: a clear shot at a World Series Championship in 2026, and the “inside track” on signing Skubal after he spends 1 year getting to know the team, its manager, its players, its fans, its ownership and its city.
2nd best? No, he is the best starter in mlb. Who are you putting ahead of a back2back CYA winner?
Skenes but you could say Skubal and I wouldn’t argue. I think Skenes has the best stuff in the MLB.
Mets fandom is rife with speculation about trading top prospects for Skubal.
Makes all the sense in the world that speculation is happening. Cohen has the cash to pay Skubal & the Mets have the pieces for a deal to make Detroit think about it.
He’d probably need to step over Stearns to make that happen but I can understand speculation.
The Mets have the top young prospects and players to intrique the Tigers and the cash to close the deal for a long term extension for Skubal. The Mets need a star#1 starter to pair with Soto and others to compete for World Series titles.
Which of the Mets young position players have established themselves? Just like the Yankees, New York media hypes them heavily. Buyer Beware!
Wait until the dust settles after the work stoppage.
Skubal will be motivated to sign before the lockout in case a salary cap enters the picture (or some other impediment like losing more draft picks for signing high $$ free agents).
Reports in the Detroit papers Torres would want 5 years, $105 MM. I think he would be a steal at that price
I think he’d be a steal at 1-year, $22 million, so I don’t understand the assumption that the Tigers shouldn’t and wouldn’t offer a QO. He’s good.
Regardless of what he’s asking, some sites (Yahoo! Sports) are predicting 4 years at $55 million, a bit less than the Tigers were paying in 2025. Second basemen are criminally undervalued.
FED EX that contract over to have him sign. Torres would be great for the Tigers for the next 5 years even with great prospects on the way.
I really like G;leyber, I think he’d be a great 2B for the next 5 years. Thing is, the Tigers are deep at 2B with very young players. I just don’t see them making him an offer when they can fill the spot for years at minimum wage.
Plus the fact he would block a young guy from getting a shot.
Torres could be moved around the diamond to a different position like they did with Baez.
Except Torres made it clear he will only play 2B.
I’d be surprised if he get 5 years. 3 with some club/mutual options maybe.
The only thing Harris could do to piss me off is to bring the prospects up.
Don’t sell us prospect hope and ruin their careers while doing so.
LET THEM COOK
HIRE MLB CALIBER PLAYERS!
TRADE THEM FOR MORE PROSPECTS
Ok..he.could.do.a lot that could.piss.me.off. I’m temperamental. I would tolerate Zyhir prospect Hope ( from LA, that would.be ok)
SOMETHING ILLICH HAS NEVER DONE AND SOMETHING HE DID NOT DO LAST YEAR.
SHOULD HAVE TRADED A COUPLE OF GUYS FOR PROSPECTS = at the deadline.
ILLICH DOES NOT.NEED.TO.BE SO.GOP DARSH ECONOMICALLY PRUDENT.
if you trade Skubal, trade them all…..
Who here actually thinks Scott Boras’ birth certificate is legit?
Rumor is: SCOTT BORAS IS USING A FAKE BIRTH CERTIFICATE!
Lighten up Francis
Really? Why should we let Scott Boras get away with using a fake birth certificate?
That’s not right!
Further investigation indicated probable cause to believe the subject is really Japanese and was smuggled into the country by the Dodgers after receiving special cosmetic surgery from Russian Communists to make him look more like Mickey Dolenz.
They are attempting to take over the world, ruin America’s favorite pasttime and hurt Aunt Mimi’s feelings – all in one feld swoop.
It’s a conspiracy.
*”Fell” in this sense is archaic, meaning cruel, wicked or ruthless and is cognate with felon, which originally meant the same
You had me at Mickey Dolenz. Ha ha ha ha ha.
Many scenarios involving Skubal assume that the teams trading for him can lock in an extention. Absent that kind of guarantee, we’re talking a one year rental fetching two solid prospects and an MLB-ready player.
I’d rather ride it out with Tarik and go for the Series one more time…
Lots of year MLB rental deals have been made where the return was very high for the team trading the 1 year rental.
Some team or teams will make incredible offers for Skubal that may tempt the Tigers into trading him.
If some team offers the Tigers 2 great young major league starters or major league ready starters, a young CF who also can hit and is a fast baserunner and a major league or major league ready SS or 3B who can hit, then the Tigers could fill multiple holes on their team and still retain their status as very competitive for the AL Central title and the playoffs, then the Tigers might take such a deal.
They will have future ace Jackson Jobe back by the 2nd half of 2026.
RHSPs Reese Olson and Gipson Sawyer Long will be healthy.
Keider Montero and Tyler Holten look like promising starters.
Sign LHSP free agent starter Ranger Suarez to a FA contract.( or a similar starter).
Taking one draft pick for Skubal is a waste of the Tigers most valuable asset.
LHSP Ranger Suarez projected FA contract
Contract 6 years, $164 million
baseball-reference.com/players/s/suarera01.shtml
Jobe won’t be back until September ’26 at the earliest and only if the Tigers, really, really need him.
One year of Skubal should get one, controllable, young, already proven major league pitcher, a reliable, also controllable, proven major league position player (preferably 3B, SS or CF) and at least 2 solid prospects from the acquiring team’s top 10 prospect list.
NY Mets get Skubal
Tigers get RHP McLean, 3B Baty, and prospect #3 Jett Williams and #10 Pena
The Tigers could send back a prospect like Pacheco or Cruz
That may be enough to get the discussions started.
Scott Harris will be looking for a huge overpay to trade Skubal as he should be.
And what some think is an overpay is really market value
for a soon to be 2X Cy Young Award winner making only 18M in 2026.
? McLean is likey to be competing for.the Cy, – right out of the chute. No way do they do that trade. It’s ridiculous Tiger fans think they can get him. If so…I’d have to cut my tongue out before talking about Harris….
Would Tong, Baty, Williams and Pena be enough?
Chrometophobia
Symptoms: May include intense anxiety, muscle tension, heavy sweating, or shaking when thinking about or handling money.