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With the majority of starting pitchers already snapped up on the trade market, teams with a need on the mound are looking for other fish in the sea. And the biggest of these is certainly two-time Cy Young Trophy winner Tarik Skubal.
With only one season of team control remaining on his contract and no willingness on the part of the Detroit Tigers to extend the pact long-term, trading him now rather than losing him for nothing a year from now becomes inevitable.
That's why several Major League Baseball teams are calling Michigan to find out Skubal's value to their organization. Among them are New York's two rivals, the Mets and the Yankees. However, the representatives from the Big Apple were quickly disillusioned when the price was announced in the window.
On the Bombers' side, the names of Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler, and George Lombard Jr. surfaced, this lineup being the minimum to send Skubal to the Bronx.
Heyman: The Detroit Tigers asked for Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler, and George Lombard Jr. at a minimum in a deal for Tarik Skubal.
He added that Skubal is now unlikely to be traded. pic.twitter.com/Y9DpH3KyeH
– Matthew Nethercott (@mnethercott_) January 23, 2026
We're talking about the moon, the stars and more. But there's more.
Across town, according to what Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports, a deal for the ace pitcher would have cost the top five prospects in the Mets' system—Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, Jett Williams, Jonah Tong, and Brandon Sproat.
The Mets got indications Tarik Skubal might've cost their ‘five best prospects' according to @Joelsherman1
Nolan McLean
Carson Benge
Jett Williams
Jonah Tong
Brandon SproatYeah, Freddy Peralta will play.https://t.co/P8G8ukXcuW
– Dan Bartels (@DanBartels2) January 24, 2026
The Mets preferred to pay less to get Freddy Peralta from Milwaukee.
As good as Skubal is, the reality remains that teams aren't willing to gut their affiliate system for a rental. At least for the time being. It would be a different story, however, if a contract extension were on the horizon for the 29-year-old.
There's still plenty of time between now and the start of the next campaign, and a lot can happen between now and then, but let's just say that right now, it's a safe bet that Skubal will be pitching in a Tigers uniform this season. But for how long?
This content was created with the help of AI.
