Los Angeles Dodgers star pitcher Tarik Skubal spoke about his trade away from the only franchise that he has known, the Detriot Tigers, and opened the door to returning after the season.
Skubal has been the face of the Detriot Tigers franchise for the last several years, serving as the pride and joy of the Tigers.
He brought home a Cy Young Award and really made a name for himself as one of the best pitchers on the planet.
Skubal played only for the Tigers until his trade, coming up through the team’s farm system and emerging as an ace.
However, Skubal entered the season in the final year of team control before heading into free agency, and given that he is represented by Scott Boras, an agent who is opposed to contract extensions before hitting the open market, the Tigers were forced to deal him rather than risk him leaving for nothing.
It was an emotional moment for Skubal to leave his only team, and when appearing on Barstool’s Pardon My Take, the ace made it clear that he hopes that the Tigers are in the mix for his signature come the winter.
“I would love to play my whole career in Detroit,” Skubal said on the podcast. “I would love to. And hopefully those negotiations pick back up in November once the playoffs are done. And we’ll see where that goes.
“Hopefully they’re involved with everything; I would love to return. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about the City of Detroit and the manager, the coaching, the staff, the trainers, the teammates; it’s tough.
“And I’m going to try not to cry right now, but I love all those guys. So hopefully they’re involved in November and we’ll see what happens then.”
What do Skubal’s comments mean for his Dodgers future?
Skubal said he cried when saying goodbye to his teammates, and given everything he has said since being dealt, it is clear that the Tigers hold a special place in his heart.
However, the comments are quite puzzling, especially since his love for Detriot and the fans has never been questioned.
Given the high price tag he will command, it is highly unlikely that he re-signs with the Tigers, making his leaving the door open to coming back quite puzzling.
If the Tigers had any shot of keeping Skubal, there is no way they would trade him. Ownership likely made it clear that they will not be opening up the payroll to resign him, and after going all-in this year to make the most of his time in Detriot, they realized he was going to leave for nothing at the end.
Trading him made all of the sense in the world for an organization like the Tigers, who never shops on the high end or pays those top-tier contracts.
Skubal is likely going to fetch a 10-year deal worth $400 million, and unless Skubal is willing to forego hundreds of millions, his team for the 2027 season will not be based in Michigan.
Teams like the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves could use a prime ace to lead their rotation, while the Dodgers will certainly be in the mix.
With those teams having much more financial capital than the Tigers and real interest, Skubal is not going back to the Tigers, especially with agent Boras, who will get him top-dollar offers.
Also, Skubal is in the midst of his time with the Dodgers, which has just gotten underway, yet he is already talking about leaving, all before the meat of the season and the playoffs.
The timing and nature of the comments are certainly eyebrow-raising, though as long as he performs in the postseason, his willingness to leave will be all forgotten.
