Tigers’ franchise-altering Tarik Skubal decision comes down to these factors

What the Tigers decide to do with Tarik Skubal looms larger than any free agency this offseason.

Skubal will enter his walk year in 2026, likely with a second straight AL Cy Young and arguably as the best pitcher on the planet. Detroit faces three paths: Sign the lefty long term, trade him or play it out.

My colleague, Jon Heyman, reported recently that there was a $250 million chasm between Skubal’s ask and what Detroit would consider. At this time last year, no person in baseball thought the Blue Jays would get to $400 million, much less the $500 million they ultimately reached agreement upon with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as he was beginning his walk year.

So if ownership wants a player — and ownership was the driving force in Toronto extending Guerrero — then all is possible. At a season wrap-up press conference last week, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said, “I have no concerns about that,” when asked if team owner Chris Ilitch had the payroll wherewithal to retain Skubal long term.