The Detroit Tigers could be headed for a complicated decision at the MLB trade deadline, with growing uncertainty around what to do with ace Tarik Skubal.
Unless Detroit believes it can lock him into a long-term extension—or Skubal himself agrees to a deal before the deadline—moving him would make sense in theory, but a recent surgery concern could significantly lower his trade value compared to a few months ago.
According to one MLB executive, only aggressive deal-makers like Dave Dombrowski of the Philadelphia Phillies or A.J. Preller of the San Diego Padres might be willing to overpay for him, with others likely treating the situation more cautiously in terms of asset value.
The executive also noted that someone like Andrew Friedman of the Los Angeles Dodgers could still enter the mix, arguing that Skubal is a difference-maker who could dramatically boost a team’s World Series chances by dominating short postseason series.
Even so, many evaluators still believe Skubal should command a massive return if he is healthy, given that he remains one of the most dominant starting pitchers in baseball and a potential franchise-altering acquisition.
