It’s almost a certainty at this point that the Detroit Tigers will trade two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal before Monday’s trade deadline.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday night, following what could have been Skubal’s final start with Detroit, that the ace “will be traded” in the coming days.
The biggest question now is where he’ll land. Several teams remain in the mix, including the Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who many consider the favorites.
“Everybody’s thinking the Brewers are going to be in, the Braves are going to be in it, they’re all almost resigned to the idea that the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to get Tarik Skubal,” Passan said.
Jeff Passan says the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes are a race against the Dodgers at this point:
“Everybody’s thinking the Brewers are going to be in, the Braves are going to be in it, they’re all almost resigned to the idea that the Los Angeles Dodgers are going to get Tarik… pic.twitter.com/XIvQty4DZN
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) July 29, 2026
Skubal’s Preferred Destination
Any team that acquires Skubal will likely try to sign him to a long-term extension, as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Skubal already has a preferred destination for free agency — the Dodgers.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers, who have no idea whether Shohei Ohtani will pitch again this season with his left knee inflammation and right biceps discomfort, are the favorites. They could sit back and rely on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki and hope that Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow return to form after coming off the IL, and All-Star Justin Wrobleski will still be fresh after already pitching a career-high 112⅔ innings,” Nightengale reported. “Or the Dodgers could grab Skubal, knowing that they are considered his first preference, anyway, when he becomes a free agent. That would not only give them a lethal October rotation, but keep him away from the competition.”
Dodgers’ Potential Trade Offer
The Dodgers have one of baseball’s deepest farm systems and several young major league players who could help the Tigers remain competitive for years.
Los Angeles has nine players ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects. That gives the club plenty of options to headline a package for Detroit.
The biggest question is whether another team can top the Dodgers’ offer. Many clubs may hesitate if they can’t secure a long-term extension with Skubal.
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