New Tarik Skubal trade packages for the Cubs, Braves, Dodgers and every interested team

With less than a week until the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, it's decision time for the Detroit Tigers. Tarik Skubal hasn't missed a beat since returning from midseason elbow surgery, with a 2.70 ERA and 0.92 WHIP across 15 starts and 90.0 innings. He pitched a season-high 7.1 innings (with a season-high 12 strikeouts) in Detroit's win over Kansas City earlier this week, allowing just one run.

The Tigers are within 4.5 games of the final AL Wild Card spot, but Skubal is a free agent at season's end. The value Detroit would receive in a Skubal trade can set the organization up for success long after his departure. The expectation is that Tigers GM Scott Harris will demand "no exclusions" in Skubal talks, per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. In short: nobody is off the table when a team calls about the two-time Cy Young winner, even though he's a rental.

Let's dive into realistic trade packages for every team linked to Skubal.

Cubs trade package for Tarik Skubal

The injury-battered Cubs sure could use an ace of Tarik Skubal's caliber. For all of Chicago's offensive talent, the rotation just is not up to par with other World Series contenders, like the Dodgers or Brewers. Matthew Boyd and Shōta Imanaga profile far better as third- or fourth-starter types, rather than your rotation headliners.

With Justin Steele's recovery timeline still murky, there's even more pressure on Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office to get a deal done. Detroit wants to stay competitive and thus could pursue controllable, MLB-ready arms.

Ben Brown was enjoying a breakthrough at age 26 before a neck injury, but he's due back for the stretch run. Jaxon Wiggins, 24, is Chicago's top-ranked pitching prospect. He could earn a call-up this season, but would almost certainly factor into the Tigers' 2027 rotation. Jefferson Rojas, a 22-year-old third baseman, displays hitting IQ beyond his years. With an .805 OPS in Double-A this season, he could help the Tigers flesh out the infield around Kevin McGonigle sooner than later.

Braves trade package for Tarik Skubal

The Braves' rotation is somehow both deep and shallow. How can this be? Injuries, of course. Chris Sale continues to wheel and deal, but Spencer Strider is hurt again, while AJ Smith-Shawver and Spencer Schwellenbach have spent the entire season on the IL.

Grant Holmes, Reynaldo López and Martín Pérez have all vastly outperformed expectations this season, but none are truly reliable in a postseason environment. Bryce Elder was straight up one of the most valuable pitchers in MLB early in the campaign, but he has come down to earth in the midsummer months. Elder is a useful regular-season innings-eater, but history tells us he will get knocked around in a high-pressure October environment.

Skubal and Sale would be an incredible one-two punch to build your October plans around. In return, the Braves cough up two top pitching prospects in J.R. Ritchie and Lucas Braun, both of whom can probably earn call-ups in Detroit. Ritchie has a 4.50 ERA in 54.0 MLB innings to date. Eric Hartman, the Braves' top prospect according to FanSided's Eric Cole, has speed and power in equal measure, and could climb the ladder rapidly with Detroit.

Dodgers trade package for Tarik Skubal

The Dodgers can pretty easily outbid every other team if it comes down to a bidding war. Los Angeles could simply decide to target Skubal in free agency, but with a potential lockout on the horizon and new financial restrictions virtually guaranteed to come out of the next CBA, this could be the year to go all-in. You don't get many opportunities to three-peat, and L.A. has the farm system depth to trade multiple incredible talents and barely feel it.

Emmet Sheehan is under club control through 2029, and he's better than his 4.95 ERA suggests, with 104 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. He can step right into Detroit's rotation, with 27-year-old River Ryan due for his long-awaited MLB return, too. Ryan debuted for the Dodgers all the way back in 2024 before a long, winding injury hiatus. But he has monster stuff and could still develop into a late-blooming frontline option, especially given Detroit's strong track record of pitcher development.

Zyhir Hope is arguably the best prospect mentioned in this article, but MLB Pipeline has him ranked sixth in L.A.'s system. It's not fair, but life ain't fair. Hope swings with a lot of thump and has solid plate discipline, although his strikeout rate is a smidge high still. Factor in the base-running and defensive perks he provides as a 21-year-old, and the talented lefty should finish the season with a cursive 'D' on his chest if he ends up in a trade.

Brewers trade package for Tarik Skubal

The Brewers are another team uniquely equipped to drive up the price, assuming Milwaukee's front office is actually willing to push in some of their myraid chips. The Brewers tend to prioritize the slow burn of internal development over swinging splashy midseason trades, but Skubal is a needle mover unlike any other.

Luis Peña and Luis Lara are two very talented prospects, but if the Tigers allow Milwaukee to keep shortstop Jesús Made (MLB's consensus No. 1 prospect) and right-hander Logan Henderson, who's a strong No. 3 in the rotation at 24 years old, the Brewers sure can't complain.

Peña, 19, will need several years of seasoning in the minors, but Lara recently earned his MLB call-up at 21 and he's already producing for the Brewers. He has an .802 OPS through 14 games with an incredible .329 expected average, which speaks to his elite hit tool. He also has Gold Glove upside in the outfield. Shane Drohan is the less acclaimed rookie pitcher in Milwaukee's rotation, but the 27-year-old southpaw has a very solid 3.51 ERA and 1.19 WHIP, and could be a mainstay in Detroit's rotation for many years to come.

Rays trade package for Tarik Skubal

Not unlike Milwaukee, the Rays are a small-market team that typically prioritizes internal development over big, splashy (and costly) acquisitions. That said, the path through the American League is more wide open than usual, which means Tampa should look to capitalize on this fleeting window of opportunity.

Tampa has less appealing "controllable arms" than other teams in the mix, but lefty Ian Seymour has credibly transitioned between starting and long relief duties for the Rays, with metrics that far exceed his modest 4.64 ERA. He has 86 strikeouts in 73.2 innings this season and could help Detroit backfill Skubal's workload.

Brody Hopkins, a 24-year-old righty, is Tampa's top-ranked pitching prospect and could punch his ticket to the majors fairly soon. The Rays have two highly touted catching prospects in 22-year-old Caden Bodine and 19-year-old Nathan Flewelling. Detroit could opt for the latter, giving Dillon Dingler a long runway to dominate catcher reps before Flewelling comes up behind him. To sweeten the pot, Tampa coughs up Triple-A first baseman Tre' Morgan, whose offensive shortcomings are masked by elite defense, which could give him a higher floor than Spencer Torkelson at a position of frustration in Detroit.

Phillies trade package for Tarik Skubal

The Phillies probably face the steepest climb to satisfy Detroit's demands, but Andrew Painter is still a blue-chip talent with upside at 23 years old. His first exposure to MLB competition was an abject disaster, but he's starting to turn a corner in Triple-A. If the fastball ever returns to 80 percent of pre-Tommy John form, Painter could end up as the best pitcher in this article (Skubal notwithstanding).

Philadelphia probably does everything in its power to keep top prospects Aidan Miller and Gage Wood, as re-signing Skubal is no guarantee and the current roster may not be good enough to compete with L.A. atop the National League, even with another Cy Young-caliber ace in the mix. That means coughing up 21-year-old Aroon Escobar, who could compete for a roster spot in Detroit next season. Cade Obermueller, a 23-year-old southpaw, is tearing through High-A competition and should climb the minor league ladder expeditiously.

Alex McFarlane is more than a sweetener, and he's a pro-ready reliever who could help a dire Tigers bullpen. The Phillies have balked on giving McFarlane a real MLB runway this season, but the 25-year-old is throwing pure gas with a 2.06 ERA in Double-A. He could end up pitching high-leverage innings in Detroit before the season is out.

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