Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch recently spoke to members of the media, including Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, about various subjects related to the team. Fans are encouraged to check out the full interview to get all the details. This post will focus in on the quotes related to the club’s payroll and the competitive balance tax.
Detroit just wrapped up a fairly aggressive offseason, which involved a couple of late signings, as they landed Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in February. Verlander’s deal was fairly modest, with $11MM of the $13MM guarantee being deferred into next decade. The Valdez deal also had some deferrals in it but was still quite a commitment, with a sticker price of $115MM over three years.
“It’s really to win, and it’s to give back,” Ilitch said of adding those notable deals to the payroll. “What we’re doing in Detroit and Michigan — it’s for fans, really, at the end of the day. I’m really motivated to build a winning, championship-caliber organization for Tigers fans.”
The Tigers are poised to set a new high water mark in terms of payroll, as seen in the data at Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Back in 2016 and 2017, the payroll was just under $200MM. That was when Christopher’s father Michael was still running the club. Michael passed away in February of 2017, which is when Christopher inherited the throne.
That 2017 season turned into a big bust for the Tigers. They sold off veteran players that summer, sending J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and Verlander out of town. They then entered a lengthy rebuilding period with payrolls way down from that 2016-17 peak. The Tigers finally returned to contention more recently, making the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025.
Despite opening that new competitive window, the club has stayed somewhat conservative, at least until recently. They mostly signed free agents to one-year deals going into the 2025 season. The lone exception was a two-year deal for Jack Flaherty, and even that had an opt-out halfway through. Their 2025 trade deadline was also relatively timid; they mostly picked up complementary depth pieces, as opposed to true difference-makers.
Even the 2025-26 season seemed like it was going to be more of the same until the Valdez and Verlander deals pushed them to a new level. Cot’s projects them for $206MM in terms of pure payroll. The calculations of RosterResource are even higher, with a projected payroll of $217MM. Either would be a new franchise record.
The spending has also pushed the club near the $244MM base threshold of the competitive balance tax. Cot’s projects them at $241MM with RosterResource higher by about half a million. Ilitch was asked if he is willing to push the club over the line.
“Scott and I talked about that,” Ilitch said, referring to president of baseball operations Scott Harris. “I think the most important thing to me and to him is to ensure that we give our organization, our team and our players the best chance for success. So, based on the team that we have, I leave it to Scott to decide if he wants to add. And if he does, that’s really not an issue.”
While that’s not a firm declaration that the club is willing to pay the tax, Ilitch didn’t close the door on the possibility either. That’s likely encouraging for fans of the club, as it would be difficult for the Tigers to make in-season additions otherwise. Since they are already so close to the tax line, Harris would have almost no wiggle room for deadline deals if there was a strong club policy against paying the tax.
The Tigers have a strong chance to make some noise in 2026. They have Tarik Skubal under club control for one more year. He’s obviously won the American League Cy Young Award in each of the past two seasons, and coupling him with Valdez is a major boon, particularly if they go on a deep run in the postseason, when teams usually lean harder on their top arms. It’s possible Skubal will sign with another club next offseason, leaving the 2026 season as the Tigers’ final chance to take advantage of having him on the roster.
While every club has a payroll limit, it would be frustrating if the tax was some kind of uncrossable barrier this year, so perhaps it could be a cause for some optimism that paying the tax seems to be a possibility. The Tigers last paid the CBT in 2017.
Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images
Don’t really give the team the best chance. Signing a middle of the order hitter would have done that. Now they’re left with a poor offense and good pitching staff. He has a payroll ceiling and went pitching only. Just be up front about it.
This. Expect some regression from Riley Greene and possibly Torkelson. They need Keith, Meadows and Perez to step up and have big years if they are going to really contend
Why would you expect regression from Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson? Tork hit .240 with .789 OPS and 117 OPS+. Greene hit .258, .810 OPS and 120 OPS+. And they spent most of the year at age 25 and 24, respectively. They should be expected to improve on their 2025 numbers at those ages, not regress.
I do not expect regression from Greene or Tork. In fact, I expect Greene to get better. He worked on his biggest offensive weakness over the offseason and in ST: swing selection and toning it down on 2-strike swings. I expect Tork to remain the same power-wise and maybe tick up a bit in OBP.
I do agree however that they need Keith, Meadows and Perez to step up. I think Colt may take that next step this year if they give him a dang chance to stick at a position for a while. I think he is best suited for 3B, especially now that his shoulder has healed. I expect his power to tick up, too. He’s a big dude.
I’d love for Meadows to revert to late ’24 Meadows. So far in spring, he still looks like 2025 Meadows. Haven’t seen much of Perez or Jones, but Vierling looks ready to go.
The way Meadows is going he might get sent down with Baez playing CF and McGonigle at SS. Which would give them more offense right there. McGonigle with his 80 hit tool is the bat they needed to improve.
If things stay the same, that’s exactly what I’d like to see happen. McGonigle is looking like one of the Tigers’ best hitters already.
Odd statement. Riley Greene had a 95th percentile barrel rate last year and that was on a down season for him with a 120 OPS+ (118 career). He’s in the same company as Juan Soto. Bets are on him getting better.
Keep it up and you’ll have 3 of us taking you seriously.
There’s really wasn’t any middle of the order hitter I would have wanted to see them sign, for the years that they got, that would have been a fit. After being used by Bregman last year, they weren’t going there.
Hey if i was a tigers fan I wouldn’t be complaining about not getting another bat after adding that much money to the payroll, it’s better than a stereotypical Cleveland offseason
@sad tormented neglected mariners fan
You mean that sort of sad, “stereotypical Cleveland offseason” that has CLE winning the division for the umpteenth time?
If the Dolans actually cared about baseball then Cleveland would be winning 100 games per year they have success because they always have great managing and front office
@ sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Ah, the cluelessness and arrogance of those who speak without knowledge. The Dolans bought the team because they are passionate Cleveland fans, unlike most corporate operators we see today. But don’t let the truth keep you from your biases, foremost of which is the front office and on-field management which you seem to admire from afar, isn’t chained to the franchise, but rather loyal to it…and why? Because ownership hired the people and instilled a winning, supportive, collaborative culture which allows a low revenue franchise in an impoverished town to battle WAY above its weight class against the likes of well-heeled teams like yours. But you wouldn’t know anything about that kind of loyalty and smarts, would you? Nah, you merely sneer like the rest of the know-nothings who are continually embarrassed by the performance of a team without the built-in advantages you have.
Typical comment from the privileged…but what would you expect from a silly fan who would actually use Steinbrenner in his moniker? I mean, who’s the real boot-licker here, eh?
Terrible Skrupals is gone based on who he hired as an agent. In it for the money, he will wind of with a huge contract with some big spending franchise. But that’s just Bayes ball: What is the probability a player leaves his team given that he has Boras for an agent? Conditional probability. And so it goes.
wh
“In it for the money,”
What else should they be “in it” for?
I don’t know, winning?
Derek Jeter never maximized his income and he seems perfectly happy.
Jason Varitek never maximized his income and he seems perfectly happy.
I don’t know. Those two guys were ballplayers first, and great in completely different ways. But not in it for the money.
JRam too. Those are team first players. You make $350 million or you make $450 million you still can’t spend that in a lifetime. Legacy matters.
wh
“I don’t know, winning?
…
Derek Jeter”
Refused to move off of short stop when am obviously better player and defender, A-Rod, came aboard
Real “team first” guy. Whatever that’s even supposed to mean
It’s just more brainwashing by capital over labor.
“It’s good if we pay you less. Trust us”.
Why don’t you think a player can be committed to winning while also getting paid?
MCBB
“Legacy matters.”
More brainwashed nonsense
“Instead of a salary you deserve, you’re the Employee of the Month. We will put your name here on this plaque to preserve your legacy”.
Player A: takes a slightly smaller salary so a team can sign a middle reliever or bench player.
Fans: What a team player. They will do what it takes to win
Player B: Signs a huge free agent contract with a competitive large market team
Fans: look at this sellout chasing rings
What’s the difference?
It’s pure brainwashing. The idea that it’s meritous for labor to take a lower salary.
I played baseball until I was in my early forties, never got paid for it. You couldn’t play in our league if you were getting paid to play baseball. Some of my teammates were former professionals, some became professionals. But all of us played for the love of the game and it cost us nothing and we got paid nothing. At the time it was one of the oldest leagues in the country. It was considered equivalent to a level of the minor leagues that no longer existed. It was very competitive and dare I say fun. Anyone could come and watch and people did. That league is now gone. Because something that doesn’t make money for someone is no longer acceptable. We have decided to monetize everything.
So, how’s health care? Yeah, it sucks. Because it’s been monetized. I guess I must be brainwashed. Oh well.
wh
Cool story?
Again, why do you think Jeter, who has a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars and who, at the time, signed the second biggest contract in MLB history, and who refused to move off SS for an obviously superior player, was so committed to winning?
And why do you think that players can’t be committed to winning and to getting paid?
Example. JRam takes less money to stay where he wants to be. Him taking less money should allow the team to use that capital elsewhere to plug holes (not really seeing that though in Cleveland). Skubal says he wants to stay in Detroit and wants to win a championship. Detroit is not the Dodgers and spending $425-450 million on one player cripples the team because they can’t fill other holes or give raises to other players unless all their minor leaguers work out, which we all know they won’t. You can’t spend $450 million in a lifetime unless you are an idiot who needs a 50 bedroom house with gold sheets. Those two things don’t co-exist. Team players get paid too and baseball is a TEAM sport. Salaries are out of hand and its utterly ridiculous how much people get paid in sports and entertainment these days. Legacy matters to most fans but ibviously not to you.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion and so are the rest of us. You don’t seem to like anyone else’s opinions so just use your mute button on all of us and talk to yourself dude.
Uhh maybe in the middle of career, but at the end when he was clearly diminished he was working them over and leaning on the legacy public relations angle big time.
MCBB
“JRam takes less money to stay where he wants to be. ”
Ok. So?
If you tried to reply to my message, you failed.
What’s the difference between these two situations?
Player A: takes a slightly smaller salary so a team can sign a middle reliever or bench player.
Fans: What a team player. They will do what it takes to win
Player B: Signs a huge free agent contract with a competitive large market team
Fans: look at this sellout chasing rings
“Legacy matters to most fans but ibviously not to you.”
No. It doesn’t. Why on earth would it?
“Salaries are out of hand and its utterly ridiculous how much people get paid in sports and entertainment these days”
They only way to change that is to spend less money on entertainment. Or let the owners keep more of the money.
Which do you recommend?
“You don’t seem to like anyone else’s opinions so just use your mute button on all of us and talk to yourself dude.”
Wrong. I don’t mute people because I disagree with them. I mute people who can’t discuss in at least a minimally civilized manner.
You should mute yourself then because you are extremely condescending and just another fan of baseball like me at the end of the day. Have a good night dude.
MCBB
How is a player taking less money so his team can be competitive different from a player signing a huge free agent contract with a competitive team?
Why won’t you answer that question?
Why do so many workers laud other workers for taking less money to do their job?
In case you didn’t get the hint, I’m done chatting with you. Feel free to keep talking to yourself but I am not posting again. Cheers.
MCBB
Typical of the year 2026
Can’t hold up a discussion under the smallest amount of scrutiny. Throws out an insult and runs away.
What’s the difference between a player taking less money so a team can build a winner around them and a player taking a large contract with a competitive large market team?
Why is one of those players considered a team player and the other one chasing rings?
They are both trying to be part of a successful team, right?
I understand the cognitive dissonance can hurt. But that’s where growth lies.
That’s an awkward looking picture accompanying this post. Are they in the follow-thru after giving each other a High-5 or something? High-fivin’ white guys.
Six two and even Skubal ends up with the Dodgers…
Glad to see they are trying to win . Let’s hope the players agree to a salary cap so we will have baseball after this year . Greed is sinful
Harper and Machado might get into fisticuffs with Manfred to defend their right (is it a right?) of 300 million dollar contracts
Bc9
“hope the players agree to a salary cap so we will have baseball after this year . Greed is sinful”
Salary caps are sinful. They are mostly a way for owners to make more profit
Some players are in it for the legacy, and the chance to win with the team that believed in them. Unfortunately, I see Skubal as a Dodger next year. They have no restrictions on signing pitchers long term (unlike the Mets). Other than those two, who else would pay his price. Not NYY. Not Boston. Maybe Toronto?
I’m interested to see if Detroit makes a competitive offer. They did for Bregman and have been daving some pennies before splurging this year. It will also be interesting to see how they pivot if they can’t sign him. Who is the backup plan? They’ll have Valdez, Jobe, Olson, Melton, but who else?
Don’t get too attached to Jobe. He’s another Boras client.
Can’t very well depend on Reese Olson either, not when it’s shoulder woes.
If Illich is willing to spend, Harris needs to go all in at the deadline if they are anywhere in the playoff hunt. Tigers should’ve signed some pitchers that were younger and more guarantees like Gallen instead of ones pushing 40 and over 40. Also should’ve tried to get a decent 3b like Suarez. Last, just extend Skubal and give this group a shot to compete for the next 5 years. They had a real shot in 2025, and holding onto McGonigle, Clark, etc, didn’t do anything for them unless those guys are going to be better than the core group now or are traded for someone decent in July. Hope something they need will be available. Go Tigers!
Why would they trade Clark and McGonigle who are expected to contribute to the big league team this year? Who do you think they could have gotten that would help them?
Last season they could’ve got Suarez and Gallen from AZ and that would’ve helped in the playoffs. Mason Miller and Helsley would’ve solidified the bullpen even more. Even K’Bryan Hayes would’ve been a good lottery ticket at 3rd. Unless Clark and others step up and have ROY seasons this year, they aren’t going to help the team or replace anyone. They are going to take almost a season to get used to the league and if 2027 is a lockout and Skubal isn’t resigned, you have Mize as your ace (and also a free agent), and nobody really stepping up behind him in the staff. You are going to be relying on Jobe, Olson, and others who will have been just coming back from Tommy John to replace Skubal, Flaherty, and possibly Mize in order to have a decent rotation to get you to the playoffs. Torkelson will be a free agent by then, Greene could be in his prime, but all you have really gained by keeping Clark and McGonigle are possibly just having their bats in a lineup along with Greene and Swiss cheese as a pitching staff. If they are going all in, trade some of these prospects for impact players to fill holes and win one before Skubal leaves. Better yet, give Skubal the contract, keep McGonigle and Clark, and try to use other guys to acquire the talent at the deadline. Detroit needs a title!
Exactly…trade someone other than those two unkess youvare getting JRod or Caminero which ain’t happening. Briceno is a good example of a highly ranked minor league bat they could afford to part with for the right return. Lots of 2B depth that could be traded too.
Detroit’s getting a title! Cheers dude
Suarez is a liability @ 3B and should be DH ing.
McGonicle and Clark are 2 of the Tigers best position player prospects that both HAVE STAR POTENTIAL.
The Tigers ARE NOT TRADING EITHER OR THOSE PLAYERS.
They also play positions that aren’t set (CF and 2B) for next year.
Pass on Suarez. Enough K’s in this lineup.
We might have taken you seriously if you weren’t a Yankees fan…
There’s at least one Tigers fan on these boards which takes one of us seriously. Could be two but that’s only my wishful thinking.
Tigers for $425 million
Tigers got that deep dish money.
Mmmm…pizza…
Pizza pizza
Don’t shoot the messenger, but I am a Tigers fan who seriously thinks that the Tigers would be shrewd to trade Tarik Skubal before the 2026 season starts
if they can land a huge package of talent for him.
To me, this is Max Scherzer 2.0 with the players both future Hall of Famers in their prime with Boras as their agent and the chances of the Detroit Tigers extending Skubal as slim and none.
With the right trade deal and a truck load of major league and major league ready talent that would be sent back to the Tigers in a Skubal deal, I am thinking that The Tigers could, conceiveably, be an even better ballclub by trading Skubal and patching multiple holes on the 2026 Tigers team and especially for future years of control of the new incoming talent to the Tigers.
Imagine the Tigers landing at least 2 major league/major league ready young, cost controlled starting pitchers that could slot right into the Tigers starting rotation. Add to that at least 2 young, cost controlled major league level position players who can hit and field and fill a couple of holes on the Tigers offense and a few young position players who are in AA or AAA and very close to the majors.
A very generous return trade package to Detroit and the Tigers may be better off without Skubal even though Skubal is undoubtedly one of the best starting pitchers in MLB.
Otherwise, running Skubal out there for Detroit for another year helps Skubal get a record setting, long term contract in free agency on a New Team but, very likely, is not going to land the Tigers a World Series title with Skubal and many holes remaining on the Tigers ballclub that collapsed offensively in the 2nd half last year, blew a AL Central Division Title and did not make the World Series last year.
To me, this is Max Scherzer 2.0 with, very likely, similar results.
Skubal has agreat year.
Tigers do not make World Series.
Tigers get draft pick for Skubal .
That ship has kind of sailed already. Skubal’s $32M salary will be a deterrent to small to medium sized market teams. Most teams also already have their first-half payroll budget set for ’26. The only possibility is a big market team’s ace suffering a serious injury to set a potential trade in motion.
That’s what baseball blogs are made for 😉
Some of the wildest trade proposals that get laughed at and the average fan says have no chance of happening, sometimes, sometimes it happens…
That is one of the things that makes baseball so interesting to follow.
Lower your expectations. Skubal is good but he’s a one year rental. With the season about to start, teams aren’t trading MLB players and creating holes. Figure a MLB pitcher, and a few Mi prospects. It would be a step back for this year. With the $32MM salary, the Tigers would need to take back a MLB pitcher with a sizeable salary. Even the LAD are unlikely to take on an additional $67.2MM at this late juncture.
For such a small, “lowball” return, the Tigers would “stand pat” and never agree to such a low valuation deal for Skubal.
Remember, the Tigers and Chris Illitch do not have to trade Skubal.
It is/would not be a “fire sale”.
Blockbuster potential deals are not for the very conservative
front offices with preconceived notions of what they think a player is worth and that the opposing team should just conform to whatever internal valuation and formulas that the offering team has come up with.
Blockbuster deals like a Skubal deal are for the bold, riverboat gambler types that know what they want, know what their team needs are are not afraid to go against the grain and get the player(s) they want.
Dude. You cry on here non stop. Every day. Look inwards.
I think you start at Gerrit Cole’s 9/324 and work up. Skubal will be a year older than when Cole signed, but with an extra Cy young to his name. Plus a bit of inflation. I think 9/350 or 10/360 (to lighten up the luxury tax number) makes sense.
Alternatively he could chase a shorter deal on a higher AAV. If he went that way it would make sense to shoot for $45-50m for 4/5 years.
San Fran $425 mil 10 years.
I might have traded Skubal before his arbitration hearing. I would’ve looked for two good starting pitchers and three blue-chip prospects. Regarding the latter, could you imagine adding three more McGonigles to this team? Maybe Riley & Tork finally put it together, Perez wins a fulltime job, Clark and Anderson are on the team and raking by June…. Reese Olson really hurt.
Not even the Dodgers would have traded 2 good SPs and 3, essentially 1st-round picks for a season’s rental of Skubal.
Clark and Anderson don’t look ready for MLB. McGonigle does.
Perez needs to try to win a roster spot before even thinking about being a starter. He does have the advantage of being a switch-hitter (if he can hit) and ability to also play CF.
But I don’t see Perez winning a fulltime job when there is still Carp, Jones & Vierling in the RF mix. Carp & Vierling are roster locks, IMO. Jones probably can’t have a bad spring. Meadows is looking like #27 so far.
The Dodgers have a loaded farm system and players backed up @ AAA and AA who could play if job(s) were open.
Many other MLB teams would line up and cause a “bidding war” for Tarik Skubal’s services for 1 year.
The returns for a Skubal deal would certainly be much higher that the Soto from the Padres to the Yankees for 1 year.
Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Dodgers and others would “roll the dice”
for a player that could be the last piece for a Championship in 2026.
Dodgers are looking for a 3 Peat and seem to have more injuries than many teams.. Not a Dodgers fan, but they certainly would be in the mix for Skubal if the Tigers were open to a trade.
The Tigers would only do a deal if they were offered a very generous package of players in an offer that the Tigers would find very hard to refuse.
Mets, Cubs, Yankees, Braves, Red Sox, Giants, Astros, Blue Jays, Dbacks.
I could even see a mystery team like the Brewers jumping in.
A Dominant LHSP like Skubal could be the catalyst that vaults any number
of these teams to the World Series in 2026.