Tarik Skubal has once again won the AL Cy Young award.
The BBWAA announced that Skubal won his second straight award Wednesday night, making him the second Detroit Tigers pitcher to win the award twice with the franchise. Denny McLain won it in 1968 and 1969.
Skubal received 26 of the 30 first-place votes to win the award. Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet finished in second after receiving four first-place votes. Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown came in third.
He’s the AL’s first back-to-back Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez accomplished the feat in 1999-2000.
After taking the league by storm last season, Skubal followed up with another spectacular year, remaining excellent during an up-and-down regular season for the Tigers. He finished the season with a record of 13-6 in 31 starts, posting a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts, which ranked second in Major League Baseball in both categories.
Even with his success on the mound, however, the Tigers failed to advance past the division series for a second straight year. They were eliminated by the Seattle Mariners in that round in five games. Skubal’s six innings of one-run ball in that Game 5 couldn’t get them over the hump.
Despite the way the season ended, the Tigers gave their fans a lot to celebrate. In addition to Skubals award, Tigers starting catcher Dillon Dingler was awarded a Gold Glove in his first full season. Dingler caught 25 of Skubals starts, was one of the better catchers in the AL, and finished with a batting average of .278.
The Tigers also agreed to a contract extension with manager A.J. Hinch, who has a 394-416 record in five seasons with the Tigers. But one contract that much of the league is monitoring is Skubals.
With the soon-to-be 29-year-olds deal set to expire after the 2026 season, there has been trade speculation surrounding the ace. Nearly every contender has been or will be linked to Skubal.
After last years Cy Young season, the Tigers reportedly offered Skubal a deal worth below $80 million for four years. In 2025, Skubal made $10.15 million. His value has only increased after another strong season. Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, whose clientele are known for opting to hit free agency.
So far, the Tigers have not revealed much about their free-agent plans.
After being asked about Skubals future with the team by the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold, Tigers general manager Scott Harris did not have many answers.
Whenever Skubal signs a new contract, he is expected to be among the highest-paid pitchers in baseball, with an extension potentially worth $400 million. Until then, Tigers fans can celebrate having a back-to-back Cy Young winner leading their rotation.