Detroit Tigers fans are still digesting one of the biggest trades in franchise history after the club sent reigning American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline.
While Detroit received one of baseball’s top farm system packages in return, the deal immediately sparked debate about whether the Tigers could have landed an even better haul.
As first explored by Sports Illustrated, several contenders possessed enough prospect depth to surpass the Dodgers’ offer, but ultimately chose not to pay the steep price for what amounted to a two-month rental.
Los Angeles acquired Skubal by sending outfield prospect Zyhir Hope along with right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Braden Smith to Detroit.
The package included the Dodgers’ No. 5, No. 7 and No. 17 prospects, but because of the organization’s unmatched depth, it barely put a dent in baseball’s richest farm system.
That naturally leads to an intriguing question from the Tigers’ perspective: what if another contender had been willing to be more aggressive?
Here are five hypothetical trade packages that could have given Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris even more to consider.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays were heavily connected to Skubal leading up to the deadline, making them one of the most logical alternative trade partners.
A package featuring right-hander Brody Hopkins, catcher Caden Bonine and outfielder Brendan Summerhill arguably would have provided Detroit with more overall value than the Dodgers’ return.
Bonine, Tampa Bay’s No. 3 prospect and a Top 100 talent according to MLB Pipeline, would have given the Tigers a premium catching prospect to build around. Hopkins has the upside to become a quality major league starter, while Summerhill adds another athletic outfielder with offensive potential.
The Rays ultimately chose a more conservative path, acquiring Freddy Peralta instead and preserving the majority of their top farm talent. For a small-market organization, giving up three premium prospects for a rental was simply too risky.
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee may have had one of the strongest hypothetical offers available. An acquisition package featuring infielder Luis Peña, right-hander Logan Henderson and pitching prospect Bishop Letson arguably exceeds what Detroit ultimately received from Los Angeles.
Peña possesses legitimate star potential and is viewed as one of the premier young talents in the Brewers’ system. Henderson has already shown he can contribute at the major league level, posting impressive numbers in limited action this season, while Letson offers another projectable arm with quality stuff.
The Brewers, however, operate under a much different financial model than the Dodgers. Cost-controlled young stars are essential to Milwaukee’s ability to contend annually, making it difficult to justify moving multiple premium assets for a short-term rental.
“I trust our front office, and it does feel like thereâs a clear message out there that weâre not going to be passive in this thing. Weâre going to be aggressive,” Pat Murphy, Brewers manager, said. “But it still has to make sense. It still has to be responsible.
“Hopefully not too responsible.”
Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia also had the pieces to put together a stronger proposal than Los Angeles. A package centered around elite pitching prospect Gage Wood, speedy outfielder Justin Crawford and either Roman Marquez or Moises Chace would have presented Detroit with both high-end upside and valuable organizational depth.
Wood and Crawford are among the Phillies’ most prized young talents, while adding another top pitching prospect may have pushed the deal across the finish line. However, Philadelphia’s farm system isn’t nearly as deep as the Dodgers’.
Losing that caliber of talent for a pitcher who could depart in free agency after the season represented a gamble the front office apparently wasn’t willing to make.
Chicago Cubs
The Cubs also had enough prospect depth to challenge Los Angeles. A package built around top prospect Josiah Hartshorn, along with Kane Kepley, Brooks Caple and teenage shortstop Jaims Martinez, would have given Detroit an intriguing blend of high-ceiling talent.
Hartshorn headlines the deal as a switch-hitting outfielder with impressive power and advanced plate discipline for his age. Kepley and Caple add quality organizational depth, while Martinez offers considerable long-term upside after signing internationally this year.
Even though Hartshorn may not rank as highly as Hope in some evaluations, the overall depth of the package could have made it more attractive.
Atlanta Braves
Atlanta entered the deadline needing rotation help, making Skubal an obvious fit. A package centered around left-hander Cam Caminiti, shortstop John Gil and lefty Briggs McKenzie would have compared favorably with what the Dodgers ultimately surrendered.
Caminiti remains one of the Braves’ highest-upside pitching prospects despite experiencing some growing pains this season. McKenzie has emerged as another promising young arm, while Gil brings elite speed and middle-infield athleticism to the table.
Could the Tigers Have Waited for More?
Ultimately, the Dodgers landed the prize once again, reinforcing the reputation they’ve built around Major League Baseball.
According to CBS Sports, “Skubal will be owed the remainder of a $32 million salary for this season, and because he was traded in-season, he’s now ineligible to receive a qualifying offer from the Dodgers.”
As MLB Network insider Jon Heyman put it, “The Dodgers generally get what they want. They have the best prospects by far … They have the will to win. They’ve won twice in a row and are going for a third-straight championship.
“I’m sure a lot of people in baseball are a little disappointed that the rich got richer.”
Still, that doesn’t mean the Tigers couldn’t have generated an even stronger return. Heyman reported there were “at least 7 or 8 teams” known to be interested in Skubal before the deal was finalized, meaning Detroit had no shortage of potential suitors.
While many of those clubs ultimately pivoted to other options, it’s fair to wonder whether allowing negotiations to continue closer to the trade deadline may have increased the pressure on interested teams to improve their offers.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle raised that very question after the trade became official:
“Still, from the Tigers’ perspective, it feels as if they could have waited longer before calling it a deal. We are still more than a day from the deadline, after all, and sometimes, teams get a little aggressive as the clock ticks down. Could the Tigers have gotten more if they had leveraged that? Alas, we will never know.”
Whether Harris ultimately accepted the best available offer or simply the first one he felt comfortable with is something only the Tigers’ front office knows.
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