How Tigers, Tarik Skubal have reached record-setting contract conflict

Billy Heyen

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How Tigers, Tarik Skubal have reached record-setting contract conflict image

The Detroit Tigers and Tarik Skubal have reached a contract crossroads wider than any that has ever existed in Major League Baseball.

It could play a fascinating role in whether the Tigers decide to follow suit with the rumors and trade Skubal this offseason.

The latest update in the saga has to do with MLB's salary arbitration process, and it's fascinating.

How far apart are Tarik Skubal and the Tigers?

The difference in the two sides is $13 million.

According to multiple reports, Skubal's side filed at $32 million. The Tigers filed at $19 million.

That's the widest gap in the history of MLB's arbitration process.

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How does salary arbitration work?

The arbitration process determines the salaries for players in their fourth, fifth and sixth years of service time with a team in the major leagues.

If a team and player don't agree to a contract ahead of time, they go into arbitration, where the player and team each submit a value, kind of like a bid.

They each then go into a room and pitch their case, and at the end, an arbitrator picks which side has won, and that's the player's salary for the season ahead.

Skubal will eventually be looking at the largest contract ever given to a pitcher.

Right now, he's just trying to get fair compensation for his last season before free agency.

There's no way Skubal can appreciate the difference in opinion being this wide. The back-to-back AL Cy Young winner is as valuable as any pitcher in the sport not named Paul Skenes.

It's not clear whether this will lead to a change in the Skubal trade rumors or timeline. But it doesn't seem like this can help the Tigers' cause in being thought of favorably by Skubal.

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Editorial Team