"There are some truths here that may or may not mitigate ill will toward the Tigers front office: Skubal is newly 29 (happy birthday to Tarik Skubal!); by the time he starts his next contract, he will be 30. Despite his age and injury history, he has won back-to-back AL Cy Young awards, and goes about the sport the right way, i.e. by barely walking batters."
"He is also a client of Scott Boras, whose clients historically go to free agency rather than signing extensions, to give themselves maximum leverage in negotiations. Whatever the Tigers have offered Skubal for an extension, it wasn't enough to avert an inevitable-seeming free agency outcome. And thus, as baseball clubs are wont to do, the Tigers are reportedly listening to trade offers on their best player."
Tarik Skubal is a 29-year-old pitcher with one year remaining on his contract who has won consecutive AL Cy Young awards. He has an injury history but excels at limiting walks. Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, and Boras clients often pursue free agency to maximize leverage. Negotiations between Skubal and the Detroit Tigers did not produce an extension, prompting reports that the Tigers are listening to trade offers. Trading Skubal before the season would likely undermine the team's competitiveness in an unusually winnable AL Central, while waiting until the deadline preserves flexibility if the team performs well.
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