MLB Flags Top Trade Targets at Every Position Before Aug. 3 Deadline

Q: Will the Tigers trade Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal or gamble on a playoff run?

The Tigers are currently more likely to keep Tarik Skubal and gamble on a playoff run, though that could change quickly if they stumble before the August 3 deadline. Detroit’s recent play has shifted the calculus. The Tigers have been one of the American League’s hotter teams since early June, climbing back into the Wild Card picture and cutting the gap to roughly 4.5 games. That surge has led rival executives and industry observers to increasingly believe Detroit will hold Skubal rather than cash him in as a rental. That stance is driven by both performance and timing. Skubal has returned from injury pitching like an ace again, posting a 2.97 ERA since coming back, and he remains one of the most valuable arms on the market. For a team still within striking distance, trading a two-time Cy Young winner would be a major signal that 2026 is being abandoned. Recent reporting suggests the Tigers want to avoid making that call unless their play forces it. The risk is obvious: Skubal is headed for free agency after the season, and Detroit may not be able to sign him long term. If the Tigers keep him and miss the playoffs, they would likely lose the chance at a massive trade return and settle for far less compensation. So the Tigers appear to be betting on the next 10 days. If they keep winning, Skubal probably stays. If they slide, Detroit could still pivot and move the deadline’s biggest prize.

3 articles · Updated · MLB.com · Jul 22

Less than 2 weeks before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, MLB’s potential market remains thin and fluid because many fringe contenders still have not chosen whether to buy, sell or stand pat.
Luis Arraez and Clay Holmes carry high buzz among likely available names, with Arraez batting .323 for an out-of-race Giants club and Holmes drawing interest if his fractured-fibula recovery stays on track.
Tarik Skubal could become the market’s biggest prize if Detroit fades, while Ryan Jeffers, Ty France, Taylor Ward and Jake McCarthy headline position groups with relatively few clear alternatives.
Several of the most talented names are still uncertain bets to move: Washington is only 1 1/2 games out with CJ Abrams, San Diego is 2 games back with France and Adrian Morejon, and Baltimore is 3 back with Ward.
That uncertainty leaves the next 10 days likely to determine whether this deadline becomes seller-starved or suddenly deepens with impact bats, starters and relievers.