Tarik Skubal Trade Rumors Pick Up Steam: Rays, Brewers, Braves All in the Mix
The Tarik Skubal trade rumor mill is now in full swing, and the list of potential suitors keeps growing.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported this week that rival executives believe Skubal will need to make at least three rehab starts before any team seriously commits to a trade. The Tigers ace recently made his first start with High-A West Michigan, throwing 44 strikes on 54 pitches in what was reportedly a clean outing.
The list of teams reportedly interested includes the Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and a few other contenders looking for the kind of front-of-rotation arm Skubal has been when healthy.
Why the Tigers Are Likely to Move Him
Detroit was 16 games below .500 heading into mid-June. The season is functionally over. The Tigers are sellers at the deadline whether they want to admit it publicly or not.
Skubal is in a contract year. He hits free agency next winter. Detroit can either trade him for a major prospect haul or watch him walk for compensatory pick value. The math is not close. A team in the Tigers’ position trades the ace.
The injury complicates things. A team is not paying full price for a pitcher rehabbing elbow surgery. But if Skubal makes three or four clean starts, the price tag becomes whatever the market sets, and that price tag is going to be significant.
The Three Teams in the Lead
The Rays make sense as a longshot. Tampa Bay has been creative about adding talent for years. They have prospects to deal. They are competing in the AL East. Adding Skubal would give them a true ace next to their existing rotation.
The Brewers are a more interesting fit. Milwaukee has been one of the best teams in baseball this season. They have an underrated farm system. They have shown a willingness to spend in the right window. Skubal would be the move that takes them from very good to legitimate World Series favorite.
The Braves are the prestige play. Atlanta has been linked to every available frontline starter for two years. They have the prospect capital. They have the cap room. They have the championship core in place. Skubal would be the missing piece.
What Detroit Would Want Back
Any trade for Skubal would start with two top-100 prospects and probably include a third lower-tier piece. Detroit’s farm system has been improving but still needs upper-level pitching and middle-of-the-order bats. The Tigers would target those profiles in any package.
The financial side is straightforward. Skubal’s salary is manageable. The team trading for him takes on his contract for the rest of the year and then either signs him long-term or lets him walk.
The age and stage of his rehab are the wild cards. If he is throwing 95 with command in his next rehab start, the price stays high. If he labors and his velocity is down, teams pull back and Detroit has to either lower their ask or wait until the offseason.
The Skubal Side
Skubal has spoken publicly about the trade speculation. He has been measured. He has acknowledged the noise without committing to wanting out of Detroit. He is a professional handling a difficult professional situation.
What he probably wants is the same thing every pitcher in his position wants. To play for a team that can win in October. The Tigers will not be that team this year. Any of the three rumored landing spots could be. That is going to factor into whatever happens behind the scenes.
What Comes Next
The rehab outings are going to be national news every five days. Velocity readings will be parsed pitch by pitch. The trade deadline is July 31. The pieces are in place for a major deal to come together in the next six weeks if the rehab goes well.
This is the biggest pitcher available in baseball. The bidding is going to be loud. The Tigers are going to get a haul if they decide to pull the trigger.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
