With the trade deadline approaching, the biggest question on everyone’s mind is whether the Detroit Tigers will trade reigning back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The southpaw will become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, leaving the Tigers to decide quickly whether to keep him for the second half of the season or lose him in free agency.
As per the latest report from MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, the Tigers are showing reluctance to move their two-time AL Cy Young winner unless they’re overwhelmed by an extraordinary offer. MLB analyst Jared Carrabis believes Detroit is making a mistake by not trading the left-hander, citing the example of how the Angels regret not trading Shohei Ohtani at the 2023 trade deadline.
“If they don’t extend him or re-sign him in free agency, then this is the kind of mistake that sets your organization back for a very long time,” Carrabis wrote. “Call the Angels and ask them how much they regret not trading Shohei Ohtani when they had the chance.”
At the end of the 2023 season, the Angels lost Ohtani to free agency, who signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million deal. In his first two seasons already, the Japanese star has won back-to-back World Series and added to his MVP tally also.
Carrabis warned Detroit not to face the same future with Skubal and basically asked them to move him before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Why Tigers No Longer May Not Want To Trade Tarik Skubal?
The Tigers are bound to receive several offers if they float Tarik Skubal as a trade subject on the market. The reason behind their hesitation is because of their recent surge that has put them in a spot where they could potentially start planning on making the postseason.
Detroit has remained within striking distance of an AL Wild Card spot. With a 45-52 record, they are just 3.5 games behind the last Wild Card spot, which is currently held by the Minnesota Twins.
Therefore, the front office may be taking a wait-and-see approach until the end of this month to see where the team stands in terms of their playoff chances. They may not want to look stupid by trading their best pitcher when they could have used his services in October.
Read More News:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball
