Thursday marked the deadline for salary arbitration filing in Major League Baseball, a crucial day for teams and arbitration-eligible players to submit their salary figures for the upcoming season.
Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers could not come to an agreement, resulting in both parties heading towards an arbitration hearing. The Tigers operate on a ‘file-and-trial’ basis, meaning they do not negotiate one-year contracts once they file for arbitration.
Skubal requested a $32 million salary for 2026, while the Tigers proposed $19 million. This $13 million discrepancy represents the highest known difference in arbitration history. For context, the highest recorded arbitration salary for a pitcher was $19.75 million, previously set by David Price in 2015.
This arbitration process can be contentious, as teams argue the player’s weaknesses during hearings. Most players prefer to settle before hearing dates to maintain a good relationship with their teams.
Alongside Skubal, several high-profile players have settled their contracts, including:
- Randy Arozarena (Mariners) with a raise to $15.65 million
- Hunter Brown (Astros) at $5.71 million
- Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman (both Orioles) with settlements of $8.5 million and $7.25 million respectively.
The system operates around comparing players at similar service time levels, with the highest-paid athletes often being those in their final year of arbitration. Below are some notable arbitration figures this year:
- Juan Soto: $31 million in 2024
- Shohei Ohtani: $30 million in 2023
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: $28.5 million in 2025
- Mookie Betts: $27 million in 2020
- Nolan Arenado: $26 million in 2019
Some players still awaiting an arbitration resolution include Tarik Skubal, Eric Lauer (Blue Jays), and William Contreras (Brewers).
