The salary arbitration case of Tigers' ace Tarik Skubal is set to begin this week and may set a new record for the largest salary increase in history.

The largest salary arbitration case in MLB history is about to commence this week. The Detroit Tigers and their top left-handed pitcher, "Tiger King" Tarik Skubal, will appear in court on Wednesday local time. The Tigers proposed $19 million, whereas Skubal's camp is asking for $32 million. Three arbitrators will decide Skubal’s salary for the upcoming season within 24 hours, potentially rewriting the MLB arbitration salary record.

In 2015, to avoid arbitration, the Tigers awarded left-hander David Price a $19.75 million salary, which remains the highest ever for a pitcher at arbitration. Initially, the Tigers offered Skubal $19.8 million, but his agent Scott Boras rejected it and countered with a higher figure.

The Tigers’ final arbitration offer stands at $19 million, below Price’s previous record, which will serve as a strong point for Boras in arbitration to argue that Skubal’s value exceeds that of Price, who won the AL Cy Young Award twice. The key issue is the midpoint between the two offers, $25.5 million; the Tigers must prove Skubal’s worth is below this figure, or else Skubal is likely to win.

Adjusting for inflation, Price’s arbitration record would be about $27 million today, and $25.5 million is a reasonable market price for a frontline pitcher. Even if the Tigers win and maintain their salary cap, Skubal is likely to decline a contract extension after the season and enter free agency seeking a new team. Skubal’s salary last season was $10.15 million.