The Yankees want Tarik Skubal. Everyone in baseball has known that for months. The trade buzz is now getting louder, and the package it will take is becoming clearer.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Jon Heyman, the Yankees are leading the Tarik Skubal trade race seven weeks before the deadline. The two-time AL Cy Young winner is the most attractive pitcher who could realistically move, and New York has the prospect capital and motivation to land him.
This is the kind of trade that could decide the American League pennant.
Let me start with what Detroit wants. The Tigers are likely sellers. They are 32-37 and out of contention in the AL Central. Skubal is making $11 million for the rest of the season and is a free agent after 2026. Detroit can either pay him a massive extension this winter or trade him now for a prospect haul that resets the franchise.
President of baseball operations Scott Harris will demand a king’s ransom. Reports suggest the Tigers want at least three top-100 prospects, with at least one in the top-25. The Yankees can offer that. New York’s farm system, headlined by infielder George Lombard Jr. and pitching prospect Will Warren, is widely respected as elite.
The likely package is something like Lombard Jr., outfielder Spencer Jones, and pitcher Bryce Cunningham. That is three top-100 guys, including one of the top hitting prospects in baseball. It would gut the Yankees farm system, but it would land them the second-best pitcher in baseball.
The Yankees fit is perfect. Skubal would slot into a rotation behind Gerrit Cole as a true ace pairing. The Yankees lead the AL in pitching fWAR, but they need playoff-ready high-leverage arms. Adding Skubal would create a 1-2 punch as good as any team has had in a decade.
The lineup support is also there. Aaron Judge is having a great year. Juan Soto is in the Mets uniform, but the rest of the Yankees offense is producing. The roster is built to win now.
Other teams are still in the race. The Phillies, Mets, Dodgers, and Padres have all been linked to Skubal. The Mets could put together a competitive offer involving David Peterson and prospects. The Phillies have the resources but limited farm depth. The Dodgers always show up in these conversations because they always have prospects.
The Yankees front office has been quietly preparing for this. GM Brian Cashman has had multiple conversations with Detroit since spring training. The fact that the buzz is intensifying now suggests both sides are ready to move toward a deal in the coming weeks.
The timing is also important. Skubal returned from elbow surgery last year and is fully healthy. He has a 2.31 ERA, 124 strikeouts, and a 0.96 WHIP through 14 starts this season. He is the best pitcher in baseball, and the entire industry knows it.
For Yankees fans, this would be the kind of move that defines the season. The team has had elite pitching before, but adding a Cy Young arm at the deadline would push them into Houston-killer territory. The AL Championship Series goes through New York if Skubal is added.
For Tigers fans, the move is painful but smart. Detroit is rebuilding. The prospect package would accelerate the timeline. Skubal can always be re-signed in 2027 if both sides want it.
The deadline is July 31. The Yankees are getting close. The biggest trade of the summer might be days away.
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.
