Tigers' president of baseball operations makes concerning Tarik Skubal comments

Sam Bernardi

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Tigers' president of baseball operations makes concerning Tarik Skubal comments image

2025 has been no fluke for the Detroit Tigers.

After a scorching hot end to 2024 and into the American League Divisional Series, the Tigers have mounted an 8-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians — who seem destined for mediocrity the rest of the way with their gambling controversies — and should find themselves comfortably in the postseason picture.

However, what happens to Detroit beyond this year? President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris was not particularly aggressive for a first-place team at the trade deadline. Is that a signal of his belief in his prospects or a lack of faith in this current roster to get the job done?

Here is what Harris said about the Tigers’ window, via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press:

The most concerning part of that is about ace Tarik Skubal. Skubal, 28, is well on his way to a second consecutive AL Cy Young victory, with an 11-3 record, an AL-leading 2.18 ERA, 181 strikeouts, and an MLB-leading 1.95 FIP and 0.832 WHIP.

However, Skubal is also a free agent after next season and should command one of the richest starting pitcher deals — if not the richest — in MLB history.

Detroit is not the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, or any of those other top-market franchises. Could the Tigers really let Skubal walk amid something special building at Comerica Park?

In fairness to Harris, Detroit does have a tantalizing group of young arms in Casey Mize (3.50 ERA, 4.13 FIP), Reese Olson (3.15 ERA, 3.47 FIP), and Jackson Jobe (4.22 ERA, 5.15 FIP). Olson is lost for the regular season with a right shoulder strain, and Jobe has already undergone Tommy John surgery.

Still, even without Skubal, that is a potentially ferocious top three that could carry this staff into the 2030s.

Skubal’s impending contract year makes an October run even more of a necessity this fall.

Sam Bernardi

Sam Bernardi is a freelance writer at The Sporting News, predominantly covering MLB. A New Jersey native who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2023, Sam has previous experience at Athlon Sports, The Michigan Daily, and multiple other outlets.