The Detroit Tigers have perhaps the biggest storyline of the offseason on their hands with the trade rumors surrounding Tarik Skubal. This is considered a championship window for Detroit, but Skubal is set to hit the open market after the 2026 season, and he’s certain to demand one of the largest contracts ever handed out to a pitcher.
The back-to-back AL Cy Young winner has solidified himself as the top starter in all of baseball, and it would take an absolute haul to acquire him. However, as MLB’s Winter Meetings progress, some believe that Detroit may be blown away by a package that they can’t pass up.
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MLB Insider Reveals Executives’ Thoughts on Skubal Rumors
As the winter meetings progress, the rumors are only going to ramp up, but as MLB reporters and insiders gain access to some of the top executives across the league, those rumors are bound to only strengthen.
While speaking with Just Baseball Show, ESPN’s Buster Olney notes that he’s talked with a high-ranking executive who believes that Tarik Skubal will be moved before the start of the season. Nobody from Detroit’s camp has really said whether the prospects of a Skubal trade are actually happening.
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The idea of a trade, though, is backed by the fact that this could be the perfect time to offload Skubal and get 6+ players in a return deal. A deal of this caliber has shades of the Juan Soto deal, where there was a record amount of players traded for just one player in return.
Olney also indicates that a team like the Baltimore Orioles might be one of the few teams that could empty their farm, along with young talent already on their big league roster, to make a deal happen.
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Tarik Skubal’s Value Can’t Be Understated
The value of Tarik Skubal can not be understated. He has essentially been a free win every fifth day for the Tigers over the past few seasons.
Fans likely aren’t buying the fact that Skubal will be traded, but as the winter meetings progress, the rumors might be gaining momentum.
The report from Olney likely won’t be the last regarding Skubal this week, and it’s sure to carry on into the 2026 season.
In 2025, Skubal posted a 2.21 ERA over 31 starts. In 2024, it was a 2.39 ERA. He’s led the AL in ERA in both seasons and has 469 strikeouts since the start of last season.
According to BaseballReference.com, Skubal is projected to pitch 177 innings, strike out 205 hitters, and post a 2.69 ERA next season.
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