Tigers might not be able to salvage Tarik Skubal situation after latest report

What looked like a magical 2025 for Detroit Tigers fans has suddenly turned into a nightmare scenario as the offseason unfolds. The Tigers spent most of the year as the best team in baseball, but a September collapse saw them step backwards into the playoffs, and eventually, run out of gas against the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.

While conventional wisdom would suggest that the Tigers should push their chips to the middle of the table for 2026, all signs continue to point to Tarik Skubal getting traded this offseason.

What ignited the Skubal trade rumors was the initial report from the New York Post's Jon Heyman, suggesting that there was a $250 million-sized gap in negotiations between the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner and the Tigers.

Given the gap and Skubal being closer to free agency each passing day, there's been overwhelming speculation that the Tigers could make their ace available this winter. While Scott Harris has downplayed such an idea, Heyman offered an update that only makes things look worse.

Tigers might have already lost control of the Tarik Skubal drama after latest report

In his latest, Heyman suggests the gap is larger than what was originally reported, indicating the Tigers' offer last year was for four years and $80 million. That is a slap in the face to Skubal, who will win his second consecutive Cy Young award in the coming weeks. There has always been doubt that the Tigers would pony up the cash it would take to avoid Skubal going to a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers, and this latest update only confirms that fear. And it's much worse than anybody could've anticipated. They were about to give him $5 million more per year than ALEX COBB??

With such a lowball offer to Skubal last offseason, it's fair to wonder if the Tigers' front office is already resigned to the fact that they will lose their ace in free agency next winter. It's also fair to wonder if Skubal doesn't even want to bother with them anymore after being confronted with such garbage. An optimist could point to the fact that the Tigers still have an entire offseason and regular season to close the gap, but nothing in their recent spending history would suggest they will.

Heyman cited rival executives who don't believe the contract drama will lead to a trade this offseason, but the fact that it is already a central storyline speaks to how badly the Tigers have fumbled the situation. The damage may already be done, and Skubal's days with the Tigers could be numbered.