
Skubal’s $32M arbitration win reshapes Tigers’ rotation and pay
Tarik Skubal won the largest arbitration award in MLB history, earning $32 million for 2026 after back-to-back Cy Young–caliber seasons, placing him in a record-setting stride for arb bids. Detroit still gets a formidable one-two in Skubal and Framber Valdez (three-year, $115 million) as they push toward a payroll near or over $200 million and toward the luxury tax. The ruling could influence future arb outcomes for elite pitchers and impact Skubal’s looming free-agent talks, with projections suggesting a multi-year deal around $400 million.












