Tarik Skubal might've given Tigers front office the exact recipe for an extension

Tarik Skubal's price, either in free agency or to lock him up with a contract extension, has risen exponentially this season. Toward the end of the offseason, predictions ranged around six or seven years and $180 million, which the Tigers have proven they're capable of forking over, given their six-year, $171.5 million offer to Alex Bregman.

But the things that Skubal has already managed to accomplish in 2025 — taking a perfect game into the sixth, throwing a complete game shutout with 13 Ks, walking only seven batters while striking out more than 100 — have potentially pushed that number above $400 million.

In an appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Skubal might as well have grabbed the front office's shoulders and yelled the perfect recipe to an extension in their faces. When asked if a 10-year, $425 million offer would get him to stay in Detroit, he said, "That sounds good."

$425 million would not only be the most lucrative contract the Tigers have ever doled out, but it'd be the most lucrative contract for any major league pitcher, ever. It would top Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 12-year, $325 million deal — the current benchmark — easily.

The Tigers have never given out a contract worth more than $248 million, and their largest for a pitcher is $180 million. Could Skubal not only force the Tigers out of their comfort zone, but force them to make history?

Tarik Skubal basically just named his price for a Tigers contract extension

Most signs point to no. The Tigers' front office is notoriously pragmatic, and owner Chris Ilitch is notoriously miserly. However, the front office does seem to have more leeway as of this past offseason. They wouldn't have made that offer to Bregman or extended Colt Keith or re-signed Jack Flaherty if they didn't.

Given that the vast majority of the Tigers' roster are still years away from free agency, the Tigers are, in theory, saving a lot of money. More than any other player, fans would be heartbroken to watch Skubal get tempted away to the likes of the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, or Phillies.

If 10 years and $425 million really is Skubal's bar — and if it's good enough not only to sway him but agent Scott Boras — then the Tigers should start crunching some numbers and breaking open their piggy banks. Because if Skubal doesn't end up staying a Tiger for life, fans might (rightfully) riot.