When the reigning AL MVP calls you the “best pitcher in baseball,” you kind of take notice. And when the MVP is Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees captain, one might even smile and do a spin!

Well, Detroit Tigers ace and 2024 Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal sure did.

Aaron Judge who has easily squared off against some of the nastiest arms in the game, didn’t hold himself back singing high praises for Tarik Skubal. Back in August, Judge had told Jon Morosi of MLB Network, “He’s the best pitcher in the game right now. It’s not fun facing a guy like that, but it’s fun competing against the best.” 

For Tarik Skubal, those words carried weight. He told ESPN’s Buster Olney, “I’ve had some fun interactions with Aaron Judge, too, on the mound, which is cool. And then some postgame comments out of him… those are pretty meaningful words when they come from the best player in baseball.”

But Aaron Judge wasn’t throwing out empty statements. Skubal gave him plenty of reasons to justify his statements. The Detroit Tigers lefty dominated on the mound in 2024. He posted an 18-4 record with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts over 31 starts. Even Aaron Judge, who had three hits and a homer off him in six at-bats, felt the challenge he posed.

This just shows the value that Skubal has in the game today. For the Tigers, he is just a blessing and also one of the major reasons they made it to the playoffs last season. But there is an elephant in the room–can the Tigers retain him long-term?

Will the Tigers hold on to their ace, Tarik Skubal?

Even if Aaron Judge didn’t declare Tarik Skubal as one of the best pitchers in baseball, it was a known fact. His gameplay is what won him the AL Cy Young award. And the reason Detroit signed him to $10.5 million and avoided arbitration. But let’s face it—an arbitration just avoided a messy fight, but it’s more a band-aid than a solution.

The amount the Tigers paid him this season is nowhere close to the value he demands. And Skubal knows it, and so do the rival executives. Who also, by the way, feel that Detroit won’t pay up what it needs to retain him for a longer time. So it’s no surprise that Skubal’s name has floated in the trade rumors at the past two deadlines. The pitcher, meanwhile, has remained tight-lipped about a long-term contract in the future with the Tigers.

Tarik Skubal told Buster Onley, “I think contractually where I am at, I would probably keep that stuff a little bit to myself, my agent, and my club. 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.”

Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers playoff run last season was not what many had in mind. But it is a testament to their player development and smart moves by Scott Harris. But winning also means taking on some financial risks. Some backfire, like seeing Javier Baez. But one hiccup shouldn’t scare them from paying their stars. Sure, extending a pitching two years ahead of time may seem like a risk. But waiting for too long means losing him for nothing.

Do you think Tarik Skubal will sign a longer contract with Tigers for a long term? Let us know in the comments.