Tarik Skubal never wanted to leave the Detroit Tigers and would be interested in returning to his former team if they're involved in his free-agent negotiations this offseason.
"I would have loved to play my whole career in Detroit," Skubal said during an appearance on "Pardon My Take."
"Hopefully those negotiations can pick back up in November once the playoffs are done. We'll see where that goes. Hopefully they're involved with everything. I would love to return."
It was tough to say goodbye to Detroit for Tarik Skubal pic.twitter.com/VUqFWAHDkK
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) August 7, 2026
Skubal was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three players after spending his entire seven-year career with the Tigers, who drafted him in 2018.
The 29-year-old winner of back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards was looking forward to helping the Tigers win a World Series this year after consecutive ALDS losses in 2024 and 2025. Instead, he will help the Dodgers vie for their third straight championship.
"It sucks for me, too," Skubal said. "This wasn't the way the season was supposed to go. Going into the offseason, the people that we acquired through free agency and who we signed, this is a World Series team. This is the team I'm going to go and win a World Series and beat anybody."
The southpaw will be eligible for free agency for the first time in his career this winter.
