Tigers rumors: Detroit may not trade Tarik Skubal after all

The Detroit Tigers keep listening, but they also keep saying no. Tarik Skubal sits at the center of every Tigers trade conversation as MLB Free Agency rolls on and offseason decisions shape the winter. Calls keep coming from contenders such as the Los Angeles Dodgers but the price stays steep. Detroit knows what it has. A 2.21 ERA. Two hundred fourteen strikeouts. An ace in his prime.

League buzz says the bar is sky-high, and executives expect Skubal to open spring training in Tigers camp. That expectation echoes reporting from ESPN’s Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers. For now, the Tigers hold their ground, and the league waits.

Tarik Skubal’s resume explains Detroit’s posture. An All-Star, AL Cy Young winner, and All-MLB First Team selection in 2024 and 2025, he has built the profile of a franchise ace. Trade rumors still swirl. The Dodgers have checked in. Other powers have too. Each club hears the same answer: bring everything or move on.

The Tigers hold the leverage and the clock

The Tigers control the board. Meanwhile, Skubal’s projected $17.8 million arbitration salary barely registers against big-market spending. In addition, his final year of club control adds leverage. On top of that, his representation by Scott Boras makes an extension unlikely, at least for now. Taken together, that combination strengthens Detroit’s stance. At the same time, it also fuels whispers. The question becomes classic deadline theater: will someone meet the asking price, or will the Tigers simply keep their ace and chase October on their terms?

Beyond that, the Tigers also has flexibility as MLB Free Agency unfolds. Detroit’s free agency moves can come later. In other words, a trade for Tarik Skubal does not have to happen now, and likely will not unless a rival blinks. For now, the front office sounds calm. The fan base, however, feels the tension. The lefty keeps working.

And under the cold-weather lights of winter baseball talk, one thought lingers: if the Tigers stay firm, how far can this arm carry them when the season opens?

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