Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 25

Tigers Seek 2 Top Prospects for Tarik Skubal as 34-46 Record Fuels Trade Pressure

Updated

Updated · Fox News · Jun 25

Tigers Seek 2 Top Prospects for Tarik Skubal as 34-46 Record Fuels Trade Pressure

Q: How will a looming MLB shutdown impact the historic trade price for reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal?

A looming MLB shutdown is more likely to cap Tarik Skubal’s trade price than inflate it, even if he still commands one of the biggest deadline returns in recent memory. The reason is contract timing. Skubal is only under club control through the end of 2026, and the current CBA expires Dec. 1, with a lockout widely feared if labor talks fail. Any team trading for him would be buying only a few regular-season months and a postseason run before he reaches free agency, while also facing uncertainty about the 2027 market and offseason rules. That risk usually pushes buyers to be more careful with top prospects. Still, Skubal is not a normal rental. He is 27, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, and arguably the best pitcher available. In a weak American League, multiple contenders can justify paying a premium for an ace who can change a pennant race. That is why Detroit is still asking for elite, near-MLB talent with years of control, including upper-level pitching and athletic hitters. The Yankees’ reported resistance to giving up George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange shows the market may have a ceiling, but not a soft one. So the shutdown threat likely trims the very top of the bidding rather than collapsing it. Skubal should still bring a massive haul because impact starting pitching is scarce, but the labor uncertainty and his pending free agency make it harder for Detroit to get a true Juan Soto-style package.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 25

Detroit is demanding a steep return for Tarik Skubal, with the Yankees told to part with No. 1 prospect George Lombard and No. 4 prospect Carlos Lagrange, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
The asking price reflects the Tigers' bind: at 34-46, they are 7.5 games back in the AL Central and five behind the third wild card, yet still close enough in a weak American League to justify holding him.
Skubal is only under contract through 2026 and is represented by Scott Boras, making an extension unlikely before free agency, but Detroit still sees leverage because contenders may not want to wait until late July.
That leverage is complicated by Skubal's recent return from arm surgery and slightly lower velocity, though his Cy Young pedigree and track record still make him one of the market's rarest available starters.