There is a new record award in Major League Baseball arbitration.
Back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case against the Detroit Tigers and is set to earn $32 million in 2026. The award is $13 million more than the number the Tigers argued.
BREAKING: Two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case and will make $32 million this year, sources tell ESPN. Skubal’s bet to go for the largest salary ever in the arbitration system paid off, as he’ll make $13M more than Tigers argued.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2026
A native of Hayward, CA, Skubal made 31 starts in 2025. He was 13-6 with a 2.21 earned run average and 0.891 WHIP, both American League-leading numbers, in 195.1 innings of work. He struck out 241 batters and walked just 33. His 6.5 WAR was also tops among AL pitchers.
The 29-year-old Skubal heads into his seventh big league season and will be a free agent next November.
Skubal will not be the highest-paid member of the Tigers’ rotation next season. The team reportedly agreed to a three-year, $115 million deal with free-agent lefty Framber Valdez late on Wednesday.
