Tarik Skubal available for trade: 3 teams that make the most sense

Blue Jays rumors: Tarik Skubal would transform the rotation

Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman have been a solid one-two punch for Toronto this season, but beyond that the Jays are lacking in starting pitching. Should the Blue Jays wish to become a true World Series contender in the American League, acquiring Skubal would give them one of the better postseason rotations in baseball.

Jose Berrios is not cutting it, and Hyun-Jin Ryu is out for the season. Assuming Skubal’s vaccination status is up to date, there’s no reason for Toronto to hold back here.

Gabriel Moreno is Toronto’s top prospect, and a player Detroit would want back in return to a young ace like Skubal. Moreno could be a very solid big-leaguer, but is he really necessary with Alejandro Kirk behind the dish?

Mariners trade rumors: Tarik Skubal

The Mariners have three prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline’s top-100. On paper, they’re the perfect potential suitor for Skubal, who at age 25 will cost an arm and a leg. While the M’s do have capable pitching, they’re lacking pitching depth, and are top-heavy at best when healthy.

A recent win streak heading into the All-Star Break helped mask that fact, but a sweep at the hands of the Astros brought an obvious problem back into light — the M’s can’t keep the opponent off the scoreboard.

Lookout Landing, the Mariners’ SB Nation site, does a nice job of putting those skewed numbers in perspective:

"“They led the league in ERA over the past month, and are tied with the Yankees in leading the league in stranding runners on base. Even when a starter has a shaky start, the offense has been there to pitch in, and they’ve finally started giving Chris Flexen some dang run support. But the rotation has gotten thin recently, with George Kirby optioned to Triple-A after some recent struggles, and a team that wants to make a run into the playoffs simply cannot be starting Tommy Milone every fifth day, or forcing Chris Flexen to make starts on short rest, as he did prior to the All-Star Break.”"

The gaudy statistics from Seattle’s July winning streak will not hold up over the long-term. Skubal can be a pillar in the Mariners’ rotation not just this season, but moving forward. But he will come at a steep price.