Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Atlanta Braves have emerged as a serious contender for Detroit's Tarik Skubal despite the Tigers' reluctance to trade him.
- A potential deal would require the Braves to part with multiple high-value prospects, challenging their usual trade strategy.
- The Tigers' decision will hinge on their playoff chances and whether they trust their development staff to maximize the return.
The Detroit Tigers don't want to trade Tarik Skubal, but at some point a team 12 games under .500 has to come to terms with their expiring asset. I hate to speak GM, but I can assure all Tigers fans Scott Harris is doing the same. If the Tigers are in contention for an AL Wild Card spot near the trade deadline, they might just hold onto Skubal. Yet, those odds don't look great, even after defeating the Chicago White Sox Saturday on Skubal's left arm.
If the Tigers do trade Skubal, the overwhelming favorites to land him are the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yet, the Atlanta Braves have quietly emerged as a threat. In his latest column, USA Today's Bob Nightengale described the Braves as a 'sleeper' for Skubal. Per Nightengale, it'll cost the Braves a top-100 prospect in MLB's official rankings alongside another of their top-10 team prospects. That is not cheap, but it's doable. I'd also consider it fair for a two-time AL Cy Young winner.
What a Braves-Tigers trade for Tarik Skubal would look like after latest rumor
If the Tigers are willing to take that sort of trade package for Skubal near the deadline, the Braves should jump at the chance. Yes, Skubal will likely leave this winter, but prospects are far from guaranteed. The Braves have two top-100 prospects and an underrated farm system. While the price for Skubal could increase closer to August, we are operating under the assumption Nightengale's reporting is correct and current.
In this trade, the Tigers land a righty and lefty. Ritchie has pitched in the big leagues and the Braves have high hopes about his future. Is he going to be a back-to-back Cy Young winner who can help win Atlanta a World Series? Probably not, which is why he's available despite the contractual control. McKenzie is still a few years away from the bigs, but he is another top-10 team prospect on the rise. Perdomo is just 19 as well, and a bit of a wild card.
Would the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal to the Braves?
If Harris receives an offer like this from Atlanta, he should jump at it. The Tigers have been fooled by the Dodgers farm system one too many times. Ritchie is a proven big-league arm, albeit a small sample size. He could slide right into the rotation either in Toledo or, eventually, Detroit. McKenzie is a fast riser who with the right development could be a top-100 prospect in his own right a year or two down the line. The Tigers are among the best teams in MLB when it comes to developing starting pitchers.
Perdomo may seem like a throw-in, but he is the Braves No. 19 prospect and just 19 years old. He is a ball of clay, and the sort of player who could turn into something special if handled with care.
Verdict: Yes
Would the Braves make this trade for Tarik Skubal?
Here's where it gets difficult. Should Alex Anthopoulos trade for Skubal if given the opportunity? I'd say yes, especially since they're the No. 1 team in our MLB Power Rankings. The Braves rotation isn't a sore spot, but keeping Skubal away from the Dodgers and Brewers is a win in itself. Atlanta also relies heavily on Spencer Strider and Chris Sale, two aces with extensive injury histories. Skubal just underwent elbow surgery himself. Strength in numbers might be the Braves best chance at winning a World Series this season, and that is why Anthopoulos got into the business, right?
Ritchie could eventually become a frontline starting pitcher with years of control left. The Tigers would be thrilled with that result, but he is no Skubal, even for half a season. Atlanta also has Cam Caminiti looming in the minor leagues, and he looks more promising than Ritchie.
Anthopoulos prefers to trade for players with contractual control, which is what makes a Skubal deal...out of the ordinary for him. But even he has to understand Atlanta's contract window is right now. Kicking the can down the road does Atlanta no good.
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