DETROIT — Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal will earn a record $32 million salary this year after winning an arbitration case against the team on Thursday. A three-person panel ruled in favor of Skubal over the $19 million offer proposed by the Tigers.
The 29-year-old left-hander is the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner. His victory sets a new record for any player in the arbitration system, surpassing the previous high by $1 million and nearly doubling the previous record for an award granted specifically by a panel.
The $32 million award shatters several existing benchmarks in the Major League Baseball arbitration system. The previous record for an arbitration-eligible player was $31 million, set by Juan Soto through a settlement with the New York Yankees in 2024. Before Skubal’s case, the highest award ever granted by an arbitration panel was $19.9 million for Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2024.
The ruling also sets a new high for pitchers in the system. David Price previously held the arbitration record for a pitcher with a $19.75 million agreement with the Tigers in 2015. Jacob deGrom formerly held the record for the largest raise for an arbitration-eligible pitcher, jumping $9.6 million to a $17 million salary with the New York Mets in 2019. Skubal more than doubled that raise record after earning $10.15 million last season.
Skubal’s case utilized a rare provision in the collective bargaining agreement. This rule allows players with at least five years of service and “special accomplishments,” such as back-to-back Cy Young Awards, to compare their salaries to all major league players. Most arbitration cases are limited to comparisons with other players still within the arbitration system. Skubal, who enlisted MLBPA deputy executive director Bruce Meyer for his rebuttal, built his argument around starting pitching salaries that exceed $40 million.
The Tigers adjusted their roster shortly after the hearing concluded on Wednesday. The team signed left-hander Framber Valdez, considered the top remaining free agent, to a three-year, $115 million contract. This move provides Detroit with a second elite starter or a potential replacement if the arbitration outcome alters the team’s plans for Skubal, who has faced trade speculation.
The arbitration victory follows two seasons of historic dominance for Skubal. In 2024, he finished with an 18-four record, a 2.39 ERA and a league-leading 228 strikeouts. He followed that performance in 2025 by going 13-six with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts. He is one of only 12 pitchers in baseball history to win consecutive Cy Young Awards.
The case is being viewed by some as a litmus test for upcoming labor negotiations between players and owners. Skubal is a member of the MLB Players Association’s eight-man executive subcommittee, which is the most powerful group of players in the union. The current collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Dec. 1 and a lockout is widely expected if a new deal is not reached by that deadline.
The Tigers have indicated their current posture is to enter the season with Skubal on the roster. Skubal is expected to seek a contract worth at least $400 million when he becomes a free agent after this season.