Height
6'3"
Weight
240 lbs
Age
29
College
Seattle U
Experience
6 yrs
Bats/Throws
R/L
Fan Verdict
Grade this player:
Career StatsA+
| Year | Team | GP | ERA | W-L | K | WHIP | IP | SV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career |  | 137 | 3.08 | 54-37 | 889 | 1.03 | 766.2 | 0 |
| 2026 | | 1 | 0.00 | 1-0 | 6 | 0.50 | 6.0 | 0 |
| 2025 |
Current Contract
Length
1 year
Total Value
$32.0M
Guaranteed
$19.2M
AAV
$32.0M/yr
Contract Value Index (CVI)
The Tigers' decision to pay Tarik Skubal $32M for one year through arbitration represents a massive overpay that earns a D CVI grade, even for an elite starting pitcher coming off a Cy Young-caliber season. While Skubal has established himself as a franchise-caliber ace with devastating stuff and proven durability, this astronomical salary for a single arbitration year creates dangerous financial precedent without securing any long-term value. Detroit is essentially paying free agent prices for one guaranteed season of an elite pitcher, when comparable aces like Gerrit Cole ($36M AAV) and Jacob deGrom ($43.3M AAV) commanded similar or only marginally higher salaries across multi-year commitments. The Tigers' competitive window remains murky despite their promising farm system, making this massive short-term investment questionable when they could have pursued a multi-year extension at a lower AAV or simply accepted a more reasonable arbitration award. This contract reeks of panic spending on a team that finished 86-76, as Detroit essentially bought themselves one expensive year of ace-level production while setting themselves up for an inevitable departure unless they're prepared to shatter their payroll ceiling long-term.
Performance Analysis
Tarik Skubal grades as an elite performer among MLB starting pitchers, earning a A Performance grade. He carries a 3.08 ERA (below the league average of 4.20, a strong mark) and a 1.03 WHIP across 766.2 innings pitched with a 10.4 K/9 rate. His 54-37 record provides context on team support and run prevention. His strikeout rate of 10.4 per nine innings ranks among the best in the league, showing dominant swing-and-miss ability. As a prime-age veteran at 29, Tarik is a key contributor for the Tigers. A 137-game sample provides high confidence in this grade.
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