Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Detroit Tigers are seeking controllable pitching and near-ready position players in any Tarik Skubal trade deal.
- Among six potential suitors, only a few have the necessary assets to meet Detroit's specific requirements.
- The final ranking reveals which teams can realistically meet the Tigers' asking price and which fall short.
A Tarik Skubal trade feels inevitable given the state of the Detroit Tigers right now, but as for where he ends up and what it'll take to acquire him? That remains to be seen. Jon Heyman of the New York Post gave some insight on the latter this week, saying the Tigers will be looking for "controllable pitching and athletic position players close to big league-ready" in any Skubal deal.
Based on the six teams that ESPN's Jeff Passan linked to Skubal, let's see which clubs are best positioned to acquire the southpaw at the trade deadline.
6. Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays should be in the thick of the Skubal talks if they want to get back to the World Series, but I think their odds of acquiring him are lower than anyone on this list given the assets they currently have,
The Tigers want controllable pitching back, and assuming the Jays wouldn't trade Trey Yesavage for a rental (they shouldn't), who else can they offer? Most of their rotation is made up of pitchers signed to lucrative free agency contracts. Their best pitching prospect, Johnny King, is in High-A. Ricky Tiedemann, another top pitching prospect, can't stay healthy. A guy like Spencer Miles probably isn't good enough to garner much interest.
Perhaps the Blue Jays would be able to make up for their lack of desirable pitching by trading a haul of position player prospects, but who do they have that's close to the Majors? JoJo Parker, their best posiiton player prospect, is in Low-A, as is fellow top prospect Juan Sanchez. Arjun Nimmala is in Double-A, but is he a good enough hitter to headline a Skubal package? They just don't have enough to offer, even if they figure to be among the most aggressive teams in the running.
5. Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays could really use Skubal, as their rotation beyond the likes of Shane McClanahan, Nick Martinez and Drew Rasmussen lacks depth (and even those guys likely have their innings limited for this season). But it's hard to see a path for them to acquire the two-time Cy Young winner given what the Tigers are looking for.
Assuming the Rays won't trade from their current rotation, what kind of controllable pitching would the Tigers want from Tampa? Sure, they have a ton of enticing prospects, including the likes of Brody Hopkins, Michael Forret and Santiago Suarez, but that trio has combined to throw zero innings in the big leagues.
The Tigers seem more open to acquiring position player prospects, but of the Rays' best, none of them are close to the Majors. Their top prospect, Theo Gillen, is in High-A. Nathan Flewilling is in High-A. Cooper Flemming is in Low-A. If the Tigers are dead-set on wanting proven, controllable pitching and position player prospects who are close to big-league ready, Tampa doesn't have the pieces to get a deal done.
4. Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves might need Skubal more than anyone on this list because of the state of their current rotation, but while they have a lot to offer the Tigers pitching-wise, their hitters could hold them back.
The Braves have a ton of arms to offer. Guys like AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep haven't pitched in the Majors this season, but should be healthy enough to do so at some point soon (Waldrep is pretty close to returning) and both could be long-term fixtures in Detroit's rotation. Top prospect JR Ritchie has shown flashes in his brief big-league career, which began this season, and Didier Fuentes has been mostly dominant working out of the bullpen (along with starting pitching experience).
Where the Braves are held back is with their hitting. Breakout stars such as Eric Hartman, John Gil and Tate Southesine are all in High-A, at least a couple of years away from debuting. Alex Lodise, another one of their top position player prospects, is in Low-A. The Braves don't have much in terms of position player prospects who are close to big-league ready.
3. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees do not need Skubal at all with how good and deep their rotation is (assuming Max Fried comes back from his injury looking like Max Fried), but there's no such thing as too much pitching. And if you have the assets to win a Skubal bidding war, you ought to consider it, right?
The Yankees have pieces that would interest the Tigers. Guys like Will Warren (under control through 2031) and Ryan Weathers (2029) are viable mid-rotation starters and are cost-controlled for a while. Top prospects Elmer Rodriguez and Carlos Lagrange have either debuted or are on the verge of doing so. Even Ben Hess isn't too far away.
They don't have quite as much to offer in terms of position players, but both Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones have high ceilings, and if they're willing to move top prospects George Lombard Jr. or Dax Kilby — who should be MLB-ready in the second half of this season — that might really pique Detroit's interest.
2. Milwaukee Brewers
A Tarik Skubal trade doesn't feel like something that's up the Milwaukee Brewers' alley based on how they typically operate, but that isn't to say they don't have the pieces to wow the Tigers. If the Brewers want Skubal, they have the goods necessary to acquire him.
The Brewers are known for their pitching, and from Logan Henderson to Brandon Sproat to Robert Gasser to Shane Drohan, they have tons of it to dangle. They could even consider offering prospect Tyson Hardin, who has really opened some eyes in Triple-A this year.
But where the Brewers can really impress the Tigers is with their position player prospects. While guys like Jesus Made and Luis Pena are almost certainly off the table, Jett Williams, Cooper Pratt, Luis Lara, Andrew Fischer and Jeferson Quero are all top 100 prospects or close to it — and all are just about MLB-ready. Now, whether the Brewers would want to trade guys they just extended like Pratt and Lara remains to be seen, but again, the pieces are there for the Brewers to make a serious run at Skubal if they choose to.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
You knew they'd be leading the way. The Los Angeles Dodgers have everything the Tigers could want in a Skubal deal, and Heyman's report only makes them clearer favorites. They can blow the Tigers away at any time.
On the pitching side, the Dodgers can offer Justin Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki, all of whom have high ceilings, have had big-league success and are under control for a while. The Dodgers wouldn't offer all three of them, of course, and potentially not even two, but based on what these other suitors have to offer, I'm not sure they'll have to. They could even offer a prospect like River Ryan, who'd be in the Majors right now for virtually every other team.
As for position players, the Dodgers have an abundance of prospects who could interest the Tigers. Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope and Mike Sirota are all top 50-ish prospects in Double-A and should be big-league ready sometime next season at the absolute latest. James Tibbs III is an outfielder in Triple-A who could be ready even sooner.
The Dodgers have the assets, the wallet and the desire that few, if any, teams can realistically match in a Skubal deal.
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