Just pay the guy.
Happy Friday, everyone. We’ve had a lot of big news in the last twenty-four hours, with the Tigers ending their broadcasting contract with FanDuel, and of course, the biggest bit of news being that the team failed to settle on arbitration terms with Tarik Skubal. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the Tigers’ arbitration playbook over the years, but it feels a little disappointing considering the position they find themselves in with Skubal being on the cusp of free agency. We’ll see what happens as the case goes to a hearing, but given everything Skubal has done in recent years and how other hearings have gone for players of his calibre, he’s likely going to take home a very nice payday in 2026. Probably not as much as he’s hoping for, though, given the massive gap between his number and the team’s.
Let’s get into that and more below.
Detroit Tigers News
- Jeff Passan uses the case of Tarik Skubal as an interesting primer on the complexities of the arbitration system.
- While the arbitration deadline was last night, it does not appear that the Tigers and Skubal came to any agreement and will head to an arbitration hearing.
- This is a pretty wide gap.
- The Tigers will be one of nine teams looking for a new broadcast partner this offseason.
AL Central News
- David Laurila from FanGraphs spotlights four promising Minnesota Twins prospects.
MLB News
- Let’s get to know PhamGraphs, the new metrics Tommy Pham is suggesting to better assess player value.
- Jay Jaffe makes a Hall of Fame case for Shin-Soo Choo.
- A look at the widening age gap between pitchers and catchers.
- 10 teams that have been busy this offseason, but in very puzzling ways.
- David Ortiz took on an unexpected role in retirement… as a contestant on The Masked Singer?
- Aaron Boone is thrilled that Aaron Judge will be the captain of Team America in the WBC.
- Carlos Beltran is looking likely to make it into the Hall of Fame this year, but many are wondering if his part in the Astros sign-stealing scandal should count against him.
- How can these last-place teams go from worst to first this season?
- Trying to predict where 15 of the biggest remaining free agents will land.
- Can we expect to hear newly-retired Clayton Kershaw in a broadcast booth this season? All signs point to yes.
- Don Mattingly is playing “take your dad to work day” as he has been hired as a new bench coach for the Phillies, where his son Preston is the general manager.
- How Venezuelan athletes are dealing with the current turmoil and uncertainty.
- For teams where broadcast agreements have not been made, Rob Manfred says MLB will step in to help ensure those broadcasts continue.
- The A’s have been denied the “Athletics” nickname as they prepare to rebrand for Las Vegas.
- A look at the talent pipeline coming from Korea and Japan.
- Five teams that have taken a step backward this offseason. ($)
- There are some good things here, but also some very, very bad things. ($)
- Sorry this is just too funny.
- 10 years later, some of the best moments from 2026.
Category: General Sports
