Tigers' Tarik Skubal wins second consecutive Cy Young award, but there's an elephant in the room

Tarik Skubal had a dominant year for the Detroit Tigers. His performance put him in elite company.

Skubal was named the 2025 American League Cy Young award winner for the second consecutive year. He earned 26 out of the 30 first-place votes, with Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet finishing a distant second. He led the AL with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.891 WHIP over his 195.1 innings, striking out 241 batters with 33 walks.

That dominant performance allowed Skubal to become the 12th pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young awards, and the first to do so in the AL since Pedro Martinez (1999, 2000). Roger Clemens won consecutive Cy Young awards twice (1986 and 1987, 1997 and 1998). Skubal still has his work cut out to break the record for most consecutive Cy Young awards, as Randy Johnson (1999 through 2002) and Greg Maddux (1992 through 1995) won the award for four consecutive years.

Tarik Skubal may have bittersweet place in Detroit Tigers history with second Cy Young award

Skubal also cemented his place in Tigers history. He is one of five pitchers to win the Cy Young award in Tigers history, while joining Denny McClain (1968 and 1969) as the only Detroit pitchers to win the award twice.

The biggest question is whether or not Skubal will have a chance to defend his award in a Tigers uniform in 2026. He is under team control for one more year and has been the subject of trade rumors since the end of the 2025 season. 

His dominance shows how valuable he is to the Tigers' playoff hopes next season. The Tigers are likely an average team at best without Skubal heading up the rotation. An extension is unlikely at best given the potentially $300 million divide between the Tigers and Skubal's asking price. While his second consecutive Cy Young award is worthy of celebration, a cloud remains over Skubal's future with the Tigers.