The Detroit Tigers are doing their homework on the free-agent pitching market, but one looming financial decision could ultimately determine how aggressive they can be.
According to a report from Ken Rosenthal and Will Salmon, the Tigers have held conversations with free-agent right-handers Lucas Giolito and Chris Bassitt, among others, as they continue to explore ways to upgrade their starting rotation. However, those plans may hinge on the outcome of their ongoing arbitration case with ace left-hander Tarik Skubal.
Detroit and Skubal are reportedly far apart in their arbitration figures. Skubal is seeking a salary around $32 million, while the Tigers have countered closer to $19 million. A ruling in Skubal’s favor would dramatically alter the team’s payroll flexibility and could make it much more difficult for the front office to add another high-priced starter.
Skubal, coming off a dominant 2025 season in which he firmly established himself as the best left-handed pitchers in baseball, is the unquestioned cornerstone of Detroit’s rotation. He posted elite strikeout numbers, consistently worked deep into games, and was the stabilizing force for a young Tigers staff. The organization views him as a long-term ace, but a one-year arbitration award north of $30 million would represent a significant short-term financial hit.
That’s where the Giolito and Bassitt interest becomes complicated.
Giolito, a former All-Star, is looking to reestablish his value after an uneven stretch the past two seasons but still offers upside as a power arm who can miss bats. Bassitt, meanwhile, profiles as a durable, steady veteran who could bring consistency and leadership to a rotation that already features Skubal at the top and several developing arms behind him.
Both pitchers would likely require multi-year commitments and salaries that push well into eight figures annually. If the Tigers are forced to allocate an additional $13 million to Skubal in 2026 due to the arbitration ruling, their willingness or ability to pursue one of those starters could be significantly reduced.
In other words, the Tigers’ offseason pitching plans may come down to one key decision: how much they end up paying their ace.
A ruling in Skubal’s favor wouldn’t change his importance to the franchise, but it could tighten the budget enough to shift Detroit from actively pursuing a major free-agent starter to taking a more conservative approach. Until that arbitration case is resolved, the Tigers’ pursuit of arms like Giolito and Bassitt remains very much in a holding pattern.
