MLB News: Tarik Skubal arbitration drama, FanDuel broadcasting deal, Rob Manfred comments

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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​

Regarding Tarik Skubal's arbitration case: The #Tigers operate as a file-and-trial club under president of baseball operations Scott Harris, which means there won't be further negotiations on a one-year contract after Thursday's 8 p.m. deadline to exchange salary figures. https://t.co/R290LiMGzb

— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) January 8, 2026
  • This is a pretty wide gap.
Two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal filed for a $32 million salary this year while the Detroit Tigers countered at $19 million, sources tell ESPN. The $13 million spread is by far the largest in salary-arbitration history and sets up for a fascinating hearing in February.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 9, 2026
  • The Tigers will be one of nine teams looking for a new broadcast partner this offseason.
News: All 9 Major League Baseball teams televised by FanDuel Sports Network / Main Street Sports Group have terminated their contracts with the broadcaster: Braves, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals, Rays. Deals can be renegotiated.https://t.co/OrfnfMcujn

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 8, 2026

AL Central News​

MLB News​

Rob Manfred said on WFAN that in his vision for MLB divisional realignment, he would *not* put teams that share a market in the same division. Mets and Yankees would be in separate groupings, and so would Cubs and White Sox, Dodgers and Angelshttps://t.co/7tTEajX5cO

— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) January 8, 2026
  • Sorry this is just too funny.
  • 10 years later, some of the best moments from 2026.

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