The New York Yankees are always at the center of trade and free agency rumors. While some pundits will mull over the hopeful return of Cody Bellinger or the addition of Kyle Tucker or even Kyle Schwarber, an impactful pitcher should also be discussed. Enter Tarik Skubal.
In an explorative thought piece, Jim Bowden has described the kind of trade package it would take to land Skubal. Should the Yankees put a four-player package together to add the best starting pitcher in baseball? Or are they better off keeping all four of their assets and adding a free agent instead? Let’s take a look.
Yankees Tabbed to Trade 4 Players For Tarik Skubal
The Athletic’s scribe believes that a four-player package could get a deal done for the Yankees to add the best pitcher in baseball. Bowden proposes a package of Spencer Jones, Will Warren, Carlos Lagrange, and Bryce Cunningham.
Bowden believes that Bowden’s tools as an outfielder will be enticing for the Detroit Tigers.
“They could start their proposal with outfielder Spencer Jones, who has an enticing blend of power and speed,” Bowden wrote on November 20, 2025. “As demonstrated by his 35 home runs and 29 stolen bases at Double A and Triple A this past season. He also can play all three outfield positions and is above-average defensively at the corners.”
In addition to Jones, the Tigers would also add Warren. Bowden reasons that Warren could jump into the Tigers’ rotation immediately.
“He has a plus four-seam fastball in terms of results, though the pitch sits in the 93-95 mph range,” Bowden writes. “He also throws a sinker, a changeup, a sweeper, and a curveball. He’d be able to jump right into the Tigers’ rotation.”
The Yankees would also need to add their top pitching prospect in Lagrange.
“Lagrange is arguably the Yankees’ top pitching prospect,” Bowden reveals. “The 6-foot-7 right-hander can hit 102 mph with his fastball, and he has a pair of breaking balls that can be plus at times. He can rack up the strikeouts at a high rate (12.6 per nine innings in 2025), though the walk rate still needs to come down significantly.”
The final piece in a Skubal package would be Cunningham. Bowden believes he is a high-potential prospect who will start the year in Double-A.
Best Free Agency Options Don’t Come Close
If Skubal can be acquired, he is the best option available. He finished the 2025 season with 31 games, one complete game shutout, 241 strikeouts, a 0.89 WHIP, to go along with a 2.21 ERA in 195 innings of work.
But how does he compare to the free agent market?
The top available free agent pitchers are the trio of Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, and Tatsuya Imai. Their stats show their value, but are they in the same ballpark as Skubal?
Cease is coming off a 32-game, 215-strikeout season, where he earned a 1.33 WHIP and a 4.55 ERA. Valdez threw 187 strikeouts in 192 innings across 31 games, where he recorded a 1.24 WHIP.
With Imai, he has recently been posted to the MLB over the last few days. In his 2025 NPB season, he recorded a 1.92 ERA in 24 games. Imai pitched five complete games, including three shutouts. He also recorded an impressive 0.89 WHIP over 163 innings.
Imai’s numbers this season were incredible. However, the MLB is a big step up from the NPB, so Imai will likely see a drop-off in his great statistics once he joins the MLB.
Cease is the closest to Skubal’s level, but is less of a sure thing than Skubal.
The price to acquire an ace like Skubal is understandably high. However, when a team has an opportunity to land the reigning Cy Young Champion, it’s a no-brainer transaction.
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