Tarik Skubal: The Tigers’ recent struggles are a game-changer

Tarik Skubal is currently in the final year of his contract. The Tigers pitcher is likely to command a hefty payday this winter, even though he's currently sidelined.

Remember, he hasn't pitched since April 29… and has since undergone elbow surgery.

However, Skubal is making progress at a remarkable pace, so much so that he's expected to miss fewer than two months (which was the initial timeline). He could therefore return several weeks before the trade deadline… and he could become a name to watch.

Last week, Jon Heyman didn't seem too convinced that a trade involving Skubal was likely. That said, the Tigers lost again yesterday, meaning they've now lost 12 of their last 14 games.

And now, sitting dead last in the American League Central, Bob Nightengale has even gone so far as to wonder if the club might decide to trade Skubal at the deadline.

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— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) May 17, 2026

The Tigers' plan, after all, was to keep Skubal in town to try to be a competitive team in 2026. The problem is that right now, the Tigers are just about anything but competitive, sitting at 20-29.

If they believed they could sign Skubal to a long-term deal, keeping him past the trade deadline and trying to reach an agreement with him at the end of the season is a defensible strategy. Except that, in reality, the price is expected to exceed what the Tigers typically pay for free agents.

Will they make an exception for Skubal? And does he want to stay beyond 2026? These are questions that will need to be addressed in the coming weeks.

If the answer to any of these questions is no, the idea of trading Skubal—who could fetch a significant return for the Tigers at the trade deadline—will need to be considered. Because even though there's still plenty of time, the prospect of the Tigers being competitive in 2026 is starting to look increasingly unlikely.

And, by extension, the idea of keeping Skubal as if he were a player on loan is becoming increasingly illogical. Just ask the Angels and Shohei Ohtani.

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