Tarik Skubal doubling down on Dillon Dingler All-Star take should send message to Tigers

Tarik Skubal may not be a Detroit Tiger past the MLB trade deadline, but while he's still pitching in Motown, Scott Harris ought to heed his advice. The Tigers haven't lived up to expectations in 2026, though that cannot be blamed on catcher Dillon Dingler, who was named to the AL All-Star team as a reserve and has been one of the Tigers best offensive players so far this season alongside Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle.

Shea Langeliers was voted the starting catcher of the AL All-Star team, but Dingler has surpassed the A's backstop in fWAR this season. His 3.9 fWAR in 87 games is the best in the American League at his position. Skubal, who throws to Dingler in each and every start, came to his aid following Tuesday's win over the A's.

Tarik Skubal thinks Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler should start the MLB All-Star Game

Following his latest outing, in which Skubal went five innings and gave up just one run in a Tigers 6-2 win, the two-time AL Cy Young winner got all the credit from fans and media alike. However, Skubal was quick to turn all that chatter into a decisive argument about his backstop.

Skubal even went a step further, giving Tigers fans and media pundits a peek behind the curtain. To Skubal, Dingler is not just an offensive force and one of the best two-way players in baseball, but also the most prepared catcher in MLB.

“He’s got this little notebook,” Skubal said. “He keeps it with him everywhere. I’m walking in today. He’s got it on the ping-pong table. He’s going over their team vs. left-handed pitching, their team vs. right-handed pitching, writing down notes with everything. That’s the homework that gives me a ton of confidence in how he calls games. That’s why I don’t really shake. I don’t think there’s a point to it.”

It's time for the Tigers to extend Dillon Dingler

Dingler is an affordable asset for the Tigers these days. He's making under $1 million this season, and is only in his pre-arbitration years. By no means does Harris have to extend him now, but doing so would avoid a headache down the line.

Don't believe me? Just take a look at Skubal, who is set to leave in free agency this winter should the Tigers not trade him elsewhere. The Tigers can pay a premium now to keep Dingler under contract long term. Buying out his arbitration years on an affordable long-term deal could work wonders for both sides.

Such contracts can backfire, as Colt Keith isn't exactly living up to his end of the bargain. However, McGonigle looks like a perennial All-Star candidate. He signed an eight-year, $150 million extension and thus is under team control through 2034. Dingler, unlike either Keith or even McGonigle at the time of their deals, has already proven himself. He also has Skubal in his corner, which ought to mean everything to the Tigers front office.

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