MLB rumors: 3 Tarik Skubal trade packages to land the Tigers starter
By Tim Boyle
Tarik Skubal is now the subject of MLB rumors and teams should start putting their best trade packages together to land him.
Some surprising MLB rumors hit Detroit Tigers fans hard this week. The team is ready to sell everything not nailed down, including starting pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Skubal is a 25-year-old making some tremendous strides on the mound this year. Currently 7-8 with a 3.88 ERA through 19 starts, he’s one of those young arms Tigers fans had assumed would be around for the next few years. Unfortunately, these shocking MLB rumors could Tigers jerseys with the name Skubal in the clearance aisle within a week.
Skubal’s availability completely changes the starting pitcher market before the trade deadline. These three clubs need to call up Detroit and offer them a nice trade package to acquire a piece they can build their rotation around for the next few years.
1. MLB rumors: An Atlanta Braves trade package for Tarik Skubal
The Atlanta Braves have the need for a starting pitcher and Tarik Skubal would be a lovely addition to their already young and impressive core. What can they offer Detroit?
This trade would bring the Tigers the second (Bryce Elder), eighth (Jesse Franklin), and twenty-first (Tyler Collins) ranked prospects in the Braves system. The Braves don’t have a single top 100 prospect in baseball so there’s no swapping Skubal for a single player. They may even need to include another guy outside of their top 30. Someone having a good year or even just a young arm the Tigers like might make sense.
The Tigers get an arm (possibly two) and a pair of outfield bats. For a guy like Skubal, with several years of control left, the price is going to be steep but not completely decimate a farm system. Now that he is available, the names of pitchers headlining MLB rumors ahead of the trade deadline have some company.
Skubal is a nice pivot for the Braves to make from Luis Castillo or Frankie Montas. As young as he is, the trade outlined above and maybe more is worth it.