Tarik Skubal will be the biggest baseball free agent in just one year, but that could become a problem for him.
The baseball world is expecting another conflict between MLB owners and players after the 2026 World Series. It is likely that another lockout will take place, and this could become a long fight that puts pressure on Skubal. If there is no season in 2027, the Tigers ace will already be 31 years old by 2028.
«I think it’s a low possibility, but I don’t think it’s impossible,» said Tigers beat writer Evan Woodbery to El Emergente. «It will have to be the biggest haul for any player with only one year of control in baseball history. If the Tigers were a rebuilding team and weren’t expecting to compete and all they wanted was a boatload of prospects, I think it would be easier.»
But that’s not the current situation of the Detroit Tigers, who have been in the Division Series in the past two seasons.
The A.J. Hinch team have built an interesting group led by Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter, Gleyber Torres, and Skubal, who has won the AL Cy Young in the past two seasons.
«It could be a little bit of an opening for the Tigers to make a deal,» Woodbery added. «Normally, I would say Skubal has everything to reach free agency. But with the lockout looming maybe that opens the door for Skubal to say that there is a lot of uncertainty coming up in about a year.»
With the Winter Meetings coming, we might see some news around Skubal, whether he will be traded or get an extension.
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«The Tigers will have to do this deal right now, this winter,» said Evan Woodbery to El Emergente. «A lot of stuff could happen in a year. Injuries can happen. I don’t think it’s likely Skubal takes a step back performance-wise, but it’s possible. Basically, there will be a risk for the Tigers to do this kind of massive deal right now versus waiting until the end of the year.»
Photo: @Tigers
