The Detroit Tigers have won six of their last seven games, and improved their record to 42-50. While they remain in third place in the American League Central Division standings, their start to July is the complete opposite of their miserable month of May, and is encouraging for fans who want to see them go on a run and challenge for a postseason spot.
In the meantime, the MLB Trade Deadline is quickly approaching, as it falls on August 3 at 6:00 p.m. ET, now less than a month away. The major question for the Tigers is whether or not ace starter Tarik Skubal, who missed several weeks of the season after undergoing a surgical procedure to remove a loose body from his pitching arm, will remain with the club.
Skubal has a specific request for Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris – buy at the deadline.
Tarik Skubal Wants The Detroit Tigers To Buy At The MLB Trade Deadline Next Month
Based on what he’s seen from the club over the past few weeks, Skubal is feeling encouraged about Detroit’s chances and wants them to make the most of their opportunities in front of them by becoming buyers at the Trade Deadline.
“We all knew, this whole season, this is the team that we have,” Skubal said. “We just kind of got some bad luck and beat ourselves a little bit early in the season, and it doesn’t seem like we’re doing that anymore. Need to continue to build on that momentum and finish strong into the break.”
“We had some unlucky losses, beat ourselves up a bit, some injury stuff, including myself. Hopefully the decision-makers see that we’re a very good team and it’s not sell at the deadline — it’s add,” Skubal added. “I think we’re a really good team, and there’s so many guys in this room that have proven that we can go on a run like we did in ’24.”
Skubal concluded by saying he believes the Tigers are among the best in the American League despite their record.
“I think there’s a lot that goes into it, but our record is not our team. We’re not a 41-50 team, I don’t even think we’re a .500 team,” he said. “I think we are one of the best teams in the American League, one of the best teams in MLB. At some point results matter and our record is our record, and that matters. Winning matters. But at the same time, I do think we do a lot of things that haven’t shown up in the win-loss column.”
So far this season, Skubal is 5-4 with a 3.06 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP with 84 strikeouts.
Tarik Skubal Won His Arbitration Case Against The Tigers During The Offseason
Skubal, who is the two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, emerged victorious in a historic salary arbitration case against the Tigers, earning a record-setting $32 million for the 2026 season.
The Tigers had submitted a $19 million figure, creating a $13 million gap between the two sides, which is now the largest difference ever seen in Major League Baseball arbitration.
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