Tarik Skubal: Two New Teams to Watch

What will the Detroit Tigers do at the trade deadline?

There are two schools of thought. First, there's the rational one: the team isn't doing well this year and needs to maximize Tarik Skubal's value by trading him.

But one wonders if the Tigers aren't thinking more along these lines: the American League is weak, and we've invested so much in the 2026 season (especially with Framber Valdez) that it would be better to go all in.

It's still too early to answer those questions, of course. But the more time passes, the more the Tigers' front office will need to have answers.

If the left-hander, who is nearing a return to the field, were to be put on the market around the trade deadline (i.e., after regaining his form), several teams would be worth watching.

Among them? The Rays, but also big-market teams like the Blue Jays, Padres, Dodgers, and Yankees, to name just a few.

These teams don't have to be Skubal's preferred destination, since he has no say in a potential trade. They just need to have the money (about one-third of the $32 million he'll earn in 2026) and prospects to offer.

But we'll also be keeping an eye on other clubs. And on that note, Jon Heyman puts the Cubs at the top of his list.

The club, which is in the midst of a rough stretch, will make a move at the trade deadline. Expectations are high, and this is a big-market team that needs help on the mound.

And Ken Rosenthal, even though he considers the whole thing unlikely, also points out that the Brewers are in a position to do something like that.

They surely still have the 2008 C.C. Sabathia trade fresh in their minds. The pitcher was a game-changer that year as a rental player.

To be continued… while keeping in mind that Scott Boras will pressure the Tigers to offer his client what he's worth (which won't happen) or to trade him. If he's traded during the season, the left-hander won't be eligible for a qualifying offer at the end of the season, which would help him a little.

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