Tigers CEO sidesteps Tarik Skubal contract extension question

There are not a lot of Major League Baseball owners happier than Chris Ilitch heading into the weekend. The Detroit Tigers owner watched as his team advanced past the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Wild Card Series in a 6-3 road win in Game 3. However, he did not offer much thought on the future of AJ Hinch’s ace pitcher Tarik Skubal with another matchup looming.

Skubal put up a dominant effort in the series opener, shutting Cleveland down in a 2-1 win. The All-Star is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young award in back-to-back seasons. While he has been great, Ilitch and the front office have not been quick to engage in contract extension talks. The starter is slated to be an unrestricted free agent this winter if he and Detroit cannot get a deal done.

Skubal avoided arbitration last offseason with a one-year, $10.5 million deal. The starter is worth far more than that now. If he reaches free agency, teams will line up to offer him lucrative contracts. Ilitch spoke with The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen about Skubal’s future. He did not offer many details on extension talks, saying that his focus is on the rest of Detroit’s playoff run.

“This is a step on our journey. We want to win a World Series. If it’s this year, then great. If it’s not, we’re going to keep at it until we get there,” Ilitch said. “We’re in ‘25 right now. We’re just gonna focus on the playoffs and really just focus on the game in front of us.”

Skubal is one of the best starters Major League Baseball has to offer. Hinch needs a few more dominant starts in order to lead the Tigers on a deep playoff run. However, the next few weeks could determine, Skubal’s long term future in Detroit.