The Detroit Tigers are facing the same scene with Tarik Skubal that the Pittsburgh Pirates faced with Paul Skenes last year. Throughout 2025, the Pirates were rumored to give up on Skenes as the team went on to lose one after another. In 2026, the Tigers are currently ranked last in the AL Central with a 30-44 record, facing a hard time keeping their cornerstone amid a season largely lost away.

Skubal himself opened up, hinting at the need to start winning to keep the clubhouse intact.

“The reality of the situation is, we need to play better baseball,” Skubal told the Detroit News earlier this week. “I’ve said that before, and I’ll continue to say that. My belief in this group has never changed. But the reality is, we need to play better baseball, or else come the deadline, you give the front office an option to reassess where this team is.”

The clock is ticking fast. The MLB trade deadline is set for early August, leaving the front office with just weeks to make a huge choice. Right now, FanGraphs gives the Tigers only a 15% chance to make the playoffs. They are 9.5 games behind the division lead and 6.5 games out of a wild-card spot. They just surrendered their latest series against the Houston Astros. So, the Tigers are simply not playing well, and only a miracle could push them through the 2026 postseason.

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In this case, becoming a seller by the trade deadline seems the most viable option for the Tigers.

Skubal will, anyway, hit free agency after this season. He was widely predicted to become the first $400 million pitcher in MLB history once he reaches free agency. Remember, Skubal is represented by none other than Scott Boras, the man behind Juan Soto’s $765 million contract. The Tigers are unlikely to offer such an amount. So, the best will be to give up Skubal by the deadline and acquire a few names in exchange.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Tigers are 85% certain to trade Skubal.

Skubal has just returned from his loose bodies surgery and is yet to find his rhythm. His first outing since his return was last Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians. Skubal returned two ERs from 4.2 innings. Still, with a 2.81 ERA, he is among the top five pitchers in the Tigers’ clubhouse. As a past AL Cy Young winner, many good teams are willing to pay a high price for him.

Trading a premium asset while its value is sky-high will allow the Tigers’ front office to accelerate the team’s long-term rebuild.

“The future for a lot of people in this room, not just myself, the outlook could look very much different in two months, and it all comes to an abrupt end,” Skubal added.

Skubal knows a bad season means the Tigers would undergo an overhaul. In that case, not only Skubal but also a few more names could get axed. Tarik Skubal might land on a contending team by the deadline.

Suitors lining up for Tarik Skubal

The Tigers would not give away Skubal for cheap. They would be looking for starters and position players who would take less time to get into the MLB. The Dodgers would then be the best trade partner. The Dodgers have one of the top-ranked farm systems in the league, which includes names like James Tibbs III, Zach Ehrhard, Ryan Ward, Mike Sirota, and Josue De Paula. Trading a few of them could land Skubal in Los Angeles.

The Phillies could also have a deal for Tarik Skubal.

“The Phillies will have a tough time outbidding the Dodgers and other top contenders with deep farm systems. That said, if Dave Dombrowski is aggressive enough, Philadelphia can at least put a compelling offer on the table. There’s a world in which Andrew Painter or current No. 1 prospect Aidan Miller enters the equation. But Philadelphia would probably prefer to avoid that,” FanSided.com’s Christopher Kline said.

The Phillies have names like Andrew Painter and Gage Wood, or infielders like Aidan Miller, to get Skubal.

Philadelphia remains linked to Skubal as the front office contemplates an aggressive, “all-in” move to secure a frontline starter for its postseason rotation alongside Zack Wheeler. Let’s now see what’s waiting for Skubal in August.