Tarik Skubal has 3 gloves in total. Two are Rawlings gloves, nothing special about them, everyone uses them. However, the third glove which we are going to talk about is the brand new Nike Shado Elite J glove. The special thing about this particular piece of sport equipment is that not many pitchers use it, so Skubal has joined an elite club.  

The Detroit Tigers pitcher inked an endorsement contract with Nike in mid-January. Skubal joins a small group of pitchers who wear Nike Shado Elite J gloves, though the terms of the arrangement, including length and remuneration, are still undisclosed. Do you know who was behind this exclusive deal? Skubal’s agent, the (un)popular Scott Boras.

Does the Nike Deal increase the Tigers’ pitcher’s value? 

Of course! Only 3 other pitchers in the Detroit clubhouse have this special deal. Other players include Walker Buehler (Boston Red Sox), Garrett Crochet (Red Sox), Lance McCullers Jr. (Houston Astros), Corbin Burnes (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Spencer Strider (Atlanta Braves). According to the Free Press Journal, this new brand endorsement deal shows how much the Cy Young winner is in demand.  

With free agency approaching after 2026, teams will be fighting for the 28-year-old. Unless the Tigers and Skubal reach an extension agreement, that is. In 2025, the second of his three years in salary arbitration, he is expected to receive $10.15 million. When Skubal becomes a free agent, many analysts predict that the 2020 debutant might become the first pitcher in MLB history to get a $400 million contract.  

Will Tarik Skubal command a contract around $400 million? 

For everything to go right, there are two key things that absolutely must happen, and they all center around one man: Skubal. First, the most important factor is Skubal staying healthy. This has been a major challenge throughout his career, especially with his history of left elbow issues. After undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016 and flexor tendon surgery in 2022, it’s been a rollercoaster.   

But in 2024, he made 31 starts and stayed off the injured list, putting his injury struggles behind him—at least for now. Since returning from flexor tendon surgery on July 4, 2023, Skubal has been nothing short of a revelation. He’s now leading all of MLB in WAR (9.1), ERA (2.51), strikeout rate (31%), and WHIP (0.914). Oh, and did we mention he’s also fifth in walk rate (4.6%) among 40 qualified pitchers? Over 272⅓ innings and 46 starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Skubal has been a dominant force.  

But can he maintain this level of brilliance for the next two seasons without the injury bug striking again? The second piece of the puzzle is that Skubal must keep rolling on the mound, staying just as successful as he has been. We’re talking about two more seasons of sub-3.00 ERA, two more All-Star selections, and two more top-three finishes in AL Cy Young voting. Basically, if he can put up Cy Young-caliber seasons for three straight years, we’re talking about a $400 million payday.