Tarik Skubal has got a hefty pay raise. But don’t expect him to start talking long-term deals with the Detroit Tigers just yet. The reigning AL Cy Young winner signed a $10.15 million contract for the 2025 season. This means he avoided arbitration with the Tigers. That pay is jump from his previous $2.65 million salary in 2024.

Skubal though has earned every penny of this new fresh deal after a stellar 2024 season! 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts, and AL’s first pitching triple crown since 2011. He was the ace that the Tigers were hunting for. He led them to their first post-season appearance in a decade. So now with extension out of the way of course, the million-dollar question is whether Skubal will be willing to be with Detroit for the long haul.

Now, while his performance on the mound speaks volumes, he is not speaking much about his long-term goals in Detroit. But the question keeps on popping up because he is 28 and on the edge of hitting free agency after 2026. So when asked about a possible extension on Baseball Today, the pitcher made it clear that he is keeping long term extension talks private as of now.

Talking on Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney, Tarik Skubal said, “I think contractually where I am at, I would probably keep that stuff a little bit to myself, my agent, and my club.” But he also gave a hint of hope to his fans in Detroit. “I love playing in Detroit; I love what we got going on; it’s a ton of fun. I look forward to going to work. I am not sure how many people in the world get to say that. I truly mean it,” said Skubal.

And overall he is feeling good about the Detroit Tigers team. They have made some key moves, like adding Gleyber Torres and Alex Cobb. So they want a winning team. And Skubal is all in for it. “We’re a young team and a hungry team. I’m as confident as I was at the end of the year going into spring training with the additions we made and the guys we have coming back.”

So what’s next? Well, Tarik Skubal is their ace, and if Detroit wants to keep him beyond the 2026 season, they have to make everything worth his while. Not just his payday but also with winning teams. And also, Skubal had a keen eye on another acquisition- Alex Bregman.

Tigers lose out on Alex Bregman, but they don’t seem to care

The Detroit Tigers know that their time to win is now – Tarik Skubal at the top of his game, a strong run against Atlanta, and the addition of key players this offseason. For example, Gleyber Torres or right-handed Jack Flaherty. Hence, they pursued Alex Bregman in the first place, to get an even stronger winning team. However, after much waiting and deliberation, he signed elsewhere. The most shocking part—the Tigers actually offered him more money and a longer contract! Skubal followed the saga closely.

Tarik Skubal mentioned, “We were linked to him. I would have loved to have him on our team… he is a great talent. But he is not with us now, and that’s how I view it.” Clearly he is not dwelling on it, and neither is their manager Scott Harris. He made it clear they are not losing sleep over it. “We want players who want to be Tigers. We made a very compelling offer to Alex Bregman, but he chose to sign elsewhere. That’s OK,” Harris told the reporters at spring training.

Harris added, “We’re going to be fine without him.” Does it not have a tinge of hurt, though? But nevertheless, they have a locker room that got to the postseason and beat a team with him. Plus now he has Skubal, Gleyber Torres, and Jack Flaherty. Hence, he must be confident on the roster. Harris also turned everyone’s attention to what the team has, like Jace Jung, Matt Vierling, and Andy Ibanez.

So while Bregman may be in Boston Red Sox, the Tigers are ready to roar back into the postseason—without him. Do you think they can?