Back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is hitting free agency this winter, and seriously, get ready for history. The lefty phenom is almost certainly about to smash the record for the richest contract ever handed to a pitcher in Major League Baseball. This isn’t just a big deal, this is a league-altering moment that’s gonna reset the market for every ace out there.
The Pitcher Contract Wars Are Getting Wild
Let’s talk numbers, because that’s what Skubal is about to shatter. The current record for a pitcher belongs to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed a massive 12-year, $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers upon arriving from Japan. Before Yamamoto, Gerrit Cole held the crown with his nine-year, $324 million pact with the New York Yankees that he inked before the 2020 season. And get this: Cole’s deal came just days after Stephen Strasburg’s $245 million contract was, for a hot second, the biggest in baseball history. The money in this game, especially for an elite arm, just keeps climbing.
Skubal isn’t just some solid starter. He won the AL Cy Young Award in both 2024 and 2025 while pitching for the Detroit Tigers. The dude turns 30 on November 20, and the Tigers knew they couldn’t afford their homegrown superstar, so they traded him to the Dodgers this past summer. Now, after making a pit stop in LA, he’s set to get paid big time. When he signs, he’s also going to blow past the biggest contract for any left-handed pitcher, a title currently held by the Yankees’ Max Fried, who signed an eight-year deal after the 2024 season. Skubal is coming for all the records.
Who’s Raking In The Cash Right Now?
While we’re talking about record-breaking total contracts, it’s wild to see who’s pulling in the biggest *annual* salaries across MLB right now. When you look at MLB’s highest-paid players in 2026, it’s a mix of sluggers and flamethrowers. This list isn’t about the total value of those monster long-term deals, but what players are taking home in present-day value, including deferrals and bonuses.
Juan Soto of the Mets is at the top, pulling in $61,875,000. Cody Bellinger with the Yankees is right behind him at $42,500,000. Then you have Bo Bichette (Mets) and Zack Wheeler (Phillies) tied at $42 million. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Aaron Judge, and Anthony Rendon all clear $38 million annually.
Among the pitchers on this list, Jacob deGrom with the Rangers is at $38 million, and Gerrit Cole, despite his massive total contract, is earning $36,000,000 in 2026. Tarik Skubal himself is currently listed at $32 million, a number that’s about to look like small change compared to his upcoming free agent deal. Other notable pitchers on the list include Tyler Glasnow (Dodgers) at $32,500,000, Sonny Gray (Red Sox) at $31 million, Corbin Burnes (Diamondbacks) at $30,790,069, and Carlos Rodon (Yankees) at $27,833,333. It really shows you the kind of company Skubal is already keeping, and where he’s headed.
This winter is going to be absolutely wild watching where Tarik Skubal lands. The team that signs him isn’t just getting an ace, they’re getting a two-time Cy Young winner who’s going to demand the biggest pitching contract in history. Get ready, MLB, because the market is about to get a serious jolt!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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