The Seattle Mariners sit atop the AL West, but the team may need to make more moves to have a chance to be a World Series contender. Ahead of the MLB trade deadline on August 3, 2026, one of the biggest stars who has a chance to be playing for a new team is Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Could the Mariners make a run at Skubal to bolster the team’s pitching? Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller offered a few bold predictions for the MLB trade deadline, including the Mariners landing Skubal in a blockbuster deal.
“Well, why not the Seattle Mariners?” Miller pondered in a June 2, story titled, “Bold 2026 MLB Trade Deadline Predictions with 2 Months to Go.”
“The urgency to swing big for a rental is surely there. They made major investments/trades this past offseason, and this is their last year with Randy Arozarena and J.P. Crawford, as well as their next-to-last season with Logan Gilbert. The window won’t stay open forever,” Miller added.
“… The money might be the biggest holdup, as Seattle had its highest ever Opening Day payroll and would need to embrace a 40-man tax payroll north of $200M if it adds Skubal without trimming elsewhere. But his prorated cost if acquired at the trade deadline is $9.4M.”
Here’s what you need to know about the latest MLB rumors.
Mariners Rumors: Tigers SP Tarik Skubal’s Projected $379 Million Contract Could Make a Seattle Trade Challenging
Following arbitration, Skubal is on a one-year, $32 million contract for 2026. This will change in future seasons as Skubal lands a lucrative new deal.
Spotrac projects Skubal’s market value is a nine-year, $379 million contract. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that the Tigers are “trending” towards dealing Skubal by the trade deadline.
“It’s trending that way,” Rosenthal remarked in the May 30, MLB on Fox pregame show, per Fox Sports. “Talking with people around the game, that is their feeling.
“The outlook right now is rather bleak, and honestly, it’s difficult to imagine them making up a 14-game under .500 deficit, getting back to .500, and then contending even in a weak American League. So the question becomes, ‘Will Skubal be healthy enough?’ It’s what we don’t know.”
The Mariners Are Not Viewed as a Top Contender to Trade for Tigers Star Tarik Skubal
The Mariners are not widely viewed as a top contender to land Skubal. Not everyone is convinced that the Mariners will be players in the Skubal sweepstakes.
There are also questions about Skubal’s health as the pitcher has not played since April 29, as the star recovers from an elbow injury.
“The Mariners have a deep rotation with Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, George Kirby, Emerson Hancock, Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo with Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan on the way,” The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wrote in a May 28, story titled, “If the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal, how every MLB team may match up in a deal.”
“They’re not going to be players on a Skubal rental.”
Yet, the point of a bold prediction is that it is a move outside the realm of expectations. Even if the Mariners miss out on Skubal, Seattle could be a viable landing sport for other available veterans.
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