Tarik Skubal’s Tigers future clouded by NL contender's costly long-term injury

There remains a full season in the way of Tarik Skubal being the most coveted free agent on the market, but that hasn't stopped speculation about where his future may be. Certainly, the Tigers will be interested in ensuring the favorite for the American League Cy Young Award remains in Detroit, but the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers will inevitably look to make that an impossible task. But that's not all.

After the development with Zack Wheeler over the last week, it stands to reason the Philadelphia Phillies will also be among the motivated bidders for Skubal after the 2026 season. Wheeler is out for the remainder of 2025 after being diagnosed with venous thoracic outlet syndrome. It was discovered after Wheeler was placed on the 15-day IL due to a blood clot, and the 35-year-old starting pitcher will be undergoing thoracic outlet decompression surgery and will be sidelined for the next 6-8 months.

Between Wheeler's recovery and the fact that Ranger Suarez is a free agent this offseason, the Phillies will soon have a massive void at the top of their rotation. In mapping out teams that could be a threat to the Tigers for Skubal, Philadelphia suddenly seems to be near the top of the list.

Thoracic outlet surgery has proven to be more career-altering than any other procedure out there, and it's a safe bet Wheeler may never be the same again. Though he was set to retire after his contract expired following the 2027 season, this gives the Phillies more motivation to ensure they have a top-notch rotation for that year (and beyond).

NL contender injury chaos suddenly clouds Tarik Skubal’s Tigers future

Assuming good health, the expectation is that Skubal will command a contract north of $400 million — a price point that won't scare the Yankees, Dodgers, and Phillies, but would force the Tigers to step out of their comfort zone. Prince Fielder's $214 million contract was the largest deal that Detroit has ever shelled out to a free agent, while the $248 million extension for Miguel Cabrera remains the largest deal in the history of the Tigers' organization.

In many ways, the 2025 season has marked a new era for the Tigers, as they have spent a large portion of the campaign as the best team in baseball. Skubal's dominance certainly has been a primary reason for that success. As the Tigers look to cement their arrival with a deep postseason run in October, being willing to break the bank after the 2026 season for Skubal will be the next step in keeping their contention window open, but it was never going to be easy. And with Dave Dombrowski lurking after this recent development, it doesn't exactly have Tigers fans feeling great.

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