Tarik Skubal, Tigers head to arbitration as trade buzz lingers

Tarik Skubal and the Tigers will head to arbitration. 

The two-time Cy Young winner did not come to a contract agreement with the franchise, meaning the two sides appear likely to head to a hearing.

While Skubal and the club could still exchange salary figures and come to a deal before Thursday night’s deadline, the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold threw cold water on the possibility.

“The Tigers operate as a file-and-trial club under president of baseball operations Scott Harris, which means there won’t be further negotiations on a one-year contract after Thursday’s 8 p.m. deadline to exchange salary figures,” he wrote on X.

Skubal could break the record $19.75 million mark set by David Price in 2015 as the highest-earning arbitration-eligible pitcher in MLB history.

Skubal, entering his final year of team control before free agency, made $10 million last season. 

The looming arbitration dispute adds to a long saga of contract drama between the team and Skubal. 

With the southpaw ace likely to test free agency in an attempt to sign the richest pitching contract ever, the Tigers have dangled Skubal on the trade market this winter. 

Detroit appears likely to lose him on the open market next offseason after it was revealed in October that the two sides had a $250 million gap in contract talks.

The Yankees checked in with the Tigers on Skubal, but got the impression that it would take “half the team” to acquire him, The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday. 

Skubal is coming off a ridiculous two-year run, going 31-10 with a 2.30 ERA across 62 starts.

He’s struck out 469 batters in 387 1/3 innings over that stretch.