Despite rumors that he won't be traded this winter, a new report on a potential Tarik Skubal trade suggests the Detroit Tigers will "have no choice but to trade him" once the offers start rolling in soon.
The MLB offseason is underway, but even before the 2025 World Series came to a close, there were already rumblings about a blockbuster trade centered on two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal . The Tigers' ace is in the final year of his contract and is expected to test his value in free agency next year.
Unfortunately for Detroit, he will have a price tag they can't afford. So trading him now and getting a king's ransom does make sense. However, in recent days, new reports have suggested the club plans to hang tight, and if they do move him, it will be before next season's trade deadline. But The Athletic's Jim Bowden believes that is a "foolish" idea and fully expects the gifted pitcher to be moved in the coming months.
Tarik Skubal stats: 13-6 record, 2.21 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, 241SO, 33 BB, 195.1 IP
"The Tigers will listen to offers for Skubal. Once they get that overwhelming offer — which they will — they'll likely have no choice but to trade him," Bowden claims. "The Tigers have no chance of signing Skubal to a long-term extension this winter unless their next proposal is an offer that would make him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB, and not by a little but by a lot. It's unlikely they make that offer.
"Waiting until the July trade deadline to deal Skubal would be foolish because, in all likelihood, the Tigers will be in the postseason race, and the return would probably be less than what they'd get this winter."
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So if a monster trade goes down, who will be in the chase to land, arguably, the best pitcher on the planet right now? Well, the veteran MLB insider and former general manager has some thoughts on that as well. In his expert opinion, "big-market teams with strong farm systems and the financial wherewithal to sign Skubal long-term" will be the contenders, and that group would include the Yankees , Blue Jays , Red Sox , Giants , and the Dodgers .
Bowden did omit one team that has been linked to Skubal for weeks and is considered a favorite by many analysts, and that is the Mets . They also have the money and one of the best farm systems in MLB.
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