SoCalTiger

Agree

Agree but maybe Harris has already decided to trade him so he needs to play to maintain value and he doesn’t want Dingler sitting.

Would Kelly accept one year ?

Have to say Keith hitting to left center gap is reminiscent of sweet Lou when he came up.

So another game with McStinky. That one homer will get him playing every day. We also are featuring our best outfielder at third base, our best third baseman at first base, and our left fielder in center. All to get the lefty bats of Badoo and McStinky in the game despite their poor fielding matching their poor hitting. And Hinch is revered for this strategy?

Thanks. Here sit is. I think this is ok coming from my email. Kevin asks: Is a short term extension possible? Tarik will make about 30 million in arbitration for 2025 and 2026. What if Detroit offered him 100 million for 2025/26/27 and 28 ? Slight two year delay for Tarik but money in hand and manageable amount for Detroit. Thoughts? Skubal, perhaps the current favorite for the AL Cy Young award, turns 28 in November. As Kevin said, the lefty has two more years of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency in advance of his age-30 season. Skubal is a Boras client, but there is reason for him to consider locking in a big payday now. His 2022 season ended on August 1 due to something alternately called forearm inflammation and then just “left arm fatigue.” He went on to have flexor tendon surgery on August 17 of that year. As a result, Skubal’s 2023 debut was on July 4th, and he returned a different pitcher. He averaged 94.29 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball in 2022, and after he returned from surgery the following year, that was up to 95.81. He started throwing his four-seamer more and his strikeout rate leapt forward, turning Skubal into one of the game’s best pitchers. This year, Skubal’s fastball velocity has climbed further still, up to 96.99 mph. Since June 19th, he’s at 97.47. In very Jacob deGrom-like fashion, Skubal is now throwing a full three mph faster than he was before his surgery. Skubal is at 110 innings this year. His career-high was 149 1/3 innings in 2021, so he’ll reach that in about 6-7 more starts. The Tigers aren’t really a contender, and could be tempted to back off Skubal somewhat in the second half unless his pursuit of the Cy Young overpowers that. We are, of course, rooting against Skubal getting injured, but picking up this much velocity this quickly is often a double-edged sword. Skubal had Tommy John surgery during college (April of 2016), much like deGrom did. If you’re the Tigers considering investing long-term in Skubal, you have to put major effort into assessing his injury risk. I should note that I’ve peeked under the hood and seen the amount of work that goes into determining arbitration salaries, and it’s significant. While that makes me hesitant to make an off-the-cuff estimate for Skubal’s potential arbitration earnings, what the hell, I’ll do just that. Zac Gallen got a $4.4MM raise after his excellent 2023 season (as a 4+ service guy). If Skubal does the same, he’ll earn around $7MM in 2025. Corbin Burnes got a $5.6275MM raise after his excellent ’23 season (as a 5+ service guy). So maybe we’ll say Skubal could earn $13MM in 2026. By the “raise” argument, since Skubal is at just $2.65MM this year, he might be more in the $20MM range for his 2025-26 total. If he’s kind of able to just jump up and match the arb salary of a player who had a more accomplished career, then maybe he could get into Burnes’ $25MM range, but that’ll be for the agents, lawyers, and potential arbitration panel to decide. Anecdotally, I’ve heard that Boras doesn’t always try to go to the mat on arbitration, so it’s possible Skubal will do a two-year deal similar to the one Matt Chapman did before free agency. Our MLB contract tracker has the 4+ starting pitcher contract record as deGrom’s four-year, $120.5MM extension signed in March 2019 (coming off back-to-back Cy Young awards). That’s with us subtracting out his already agreed-to 2019 arb salary, as is our custom. DeGrom being more of a late bloomer, that contract covered age 32-35. It also allowed deGrom to opt out after the third year (first free agent year), which of course he did. The biggest extensions for 5+ pitchers were for seven years: Clayton Kershaw ($215MM), Stephen Strasburg ($175MM), and Jose Berrios($131MM). All three of those had opt-outs as well. If Skubal keeps pitching like this and stays healthy, he’s over $200MM in free agency easily. But the risk mitigation approach would be to do a four-year deal with an opt-out after the third year, potentially only delaying his free agency by one year. Circling back to Kevin’s four-year, $100MM idea, that seems reasonable enough if an opt-out is included. You could perhaps view that as $20MM for his two arbitration years and $40MM for each free agent year (a bit less than Zach Wheeler’s $42MM).

That’s me. I’m Kevin.

I agree but he was an early Harris get so he will get run unfortunately. Kind of like Lugo. Managers making their boss happy or proving them wrong?

Hinch just loves playing him which is one reason he needs to go. It’s like his crack or something. Somehow he was fourth in AB’s last year. He started slow this year but Hinch is playing him often again . Ah to be left handed and mediocre.

I remember Maeda having much better command to offset his slow fastball but he’s showing meatballs.

We’re trying. Does Westberg have a hot girlfriend?

Have to have a sure thing in hand to move Skubal. Westbrrg plays short in Detroit and Mayo third. Repairing the left side of our infield for 5 years is worth trading the best pitcher in the game and hands Baltimore the title this year and replaces Burnes next year and 2026. Also provides a place for Holiday to play. Good trades make everyone a bit uneasy.

Gotta say I like Baez back at shortstop.

Westberg and Mayo.

I also questioned it at the time as I have mentioned numerous times but in fairness did not expect him to OPS 900.

Thanks again Al and good thing he included a nice draft pick to "get er done". The power hitter we are searching for was given away. To this day I can not watch Tampa Bay highlights on my MLB package for fear of seeing him rake which is almost always assured. Seriously how can an organization miss so badly ?

Nice hitting today by McStinky. Credit where credit is due. Skubal. Keeper even if it’s only for 3 years.

Flattery was beelining for a 5 year deal over 100 million which I think the Tigers were not offering but now with his back "situation" that might not be so certain which opens the door for a less expensive extension but also hurts his trade value. I have no clue what Harris is thinking. I think he gets traded and maybe resigned in the off season which is an option for Kelly as well but it seems historically that rarely ever happens.

And I would think Kelly would be predisposed to signing with the Tigers since we have "nurtured" his renaissance and Hinch being a catcher if the $$ is right. Not sure what he brings back as a rental at the deadline so an extension wouldn't surprise me.

Wendell is a nice surprise. He seems to be trending back up after looking like he was fading out. Nice.

Kriedler getting consecutive starts as consolation to being sent down same as Badoo. McStinky survives again because he is No hit lefty.

With First Baseman power 😊

Must be a rumor started by the same guy who said Ohtani was signing in Toronto.

Well I was ok with the Maeda signing. I liked it so I will wear it but the only option is rolling him back out in five days and if he continues to stink then move him to the bullpen. Not going to DFA him and we shouldn’t. I think and hope he returns to expectations.

I think Bichette will be free agent soon..after 2025 ? So thats a no in my book to give up prospects for one year and pay him and Baez so shortstop will be like 45 million...that's a s**t ton of pizzas.