The trade deadline is still months away, and it’s too early to tell where certain players will end up. There is time for teams to heat up and get back into the race and for others to begin slumping and fall out of contention.
One team that is struggling so far is the Detroit Tigers. The team is 8-9 through its first 17 games and sits in third place in the American League Central. Left-hander Tarik Skubal is in the final year of his contract before free agency, and the two-time AL Cy Young winner could be an interesting trade candidate if the Tigers cannot get back into contention.
Christopher Kline of FanSided lists Skubal as a top trade candidate if the Tigers continue to struggle this season.
“Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez have been as good as advertised atop Detroit’s rotation, but ice-cold bats and compromised rotation depth has left the Tigers floundering out of the gate,” Kline wrote. “We know AJ Hinch is a genius, and we know the Tigers can win, but these struggles come after Detroit basically spent the second half of 2025 in a prolonged meltdown. Maybe there’s something wrong at the core right now.”
Tarik Skubal Off to Hot Start in 2026
Skubal is 2-2 in his first four starts of the year with a 2.22 ERA. The two-time Cy Young winner has been exactly what the Tigers have needed him to be to start the 2026 season.
But if Detroit can’t turn things around soon, then it would not be a surprise to see Skubal potentially traded. A two-time All-Star in the final year of his contract could bring back a massive haul in return. This could set the Tigers up quite well for the future and could also potentially keep the door open for a reunion in free agency.
The Tigers would still have Valdez in their rotation if Skubal were traded, so they would not be without an ace to lead their staff down the stretch, but Skubal may at least be a name that is floated around in trade talks at the deadline.
A lot of contending teams will have interest in him if he is ultimately available come July, and the Tigers would be smart to at least listen to offers for their ace, as he could land them a big return and set them up well for 2027 and potentially even beyond.
Kline names the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers as the best potential fit.
Dodgers Could Be Best Fit for Skubal
“Los Angeles has a ton of promising bats (Josue De Paula, Zhyir Hope, James Tibbs III) and MLB-ready arms (River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, Jackson Ferris) to throw at Detroit,” Kline added. “The Dodgers’ rotation is already quite strong, but ‘need’ is relative for a team with L.A.’s payroll. If the Dodgers can add the best arm in baseball to the best team in baseball, cost certainly won’t stop them.”
The Dodgers have one of the top farm systems in Major League Baseball, and they have never been afraid to pay a hefty price to land a top target. In that case, who better to partner up with than the defending World Series champions.
The potential move would obviously make Los Angeles better and give them an even better chance to win their third consecutive title, but it would also set the Tigers up well for the future.
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