Detroit Tigers: MLB Insider Reveals Team’s Stance On Tarik Skubal Trade
The Detroit Tigers possess one of the most valuable assets in all of baseball in ace pitcher Tarik Skubal. As the MLB offseason begins, recent reports indicate that while the team isn’t actively shopping their star, they are willing to listen to trade offers—but only if a potential suitor is prepared to pay an extraordinary price.
Detroit Tigers Tarik Skubal: Latest Rumors
According to USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale, the Tigers will “at least listen on Skubal, but would have to be completely overwhelmed” to pull the trigger on a trade. This stance positions the Tigers in a place of power. They are not in a rush to move their likely Cy Young-winning ace, but they are open to a franchise-altering haul that could accelerate their rebuild and stock their system with elite talent for years to come.
Skubal is one of the premier pitchers in the game, and his value has never been higher. For another team to meet Detroit’s asking price, they would need to part with a package of top-tier prospects and young, controllable major league players that would be difficult for any single organization to assemble.
The Challenge of a Skubal Trade
Trading for a player of Skubal’s caliber is complicated by his contract status. He is heading into his final year of team control before he is set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. This means any team acquiring him would only be guaranteed one season of his services before having to compete with the rest of the league to sign him to what will likely be a record-setting contract for a starting pitcher.
This limited window of control makes it a massive gamble for a contending team. They would have to sacrifice a significant portion of their future for a short-term shot at a championship. While many teams would covet Skubal, few have both the motivation and the deep farm system required to make a deal that would truly “overwhelm” the Tigers’ front office.
Detroit’s Strategic Position
By setting an astronomically high bar for a trade, the Tigers are executing a shrewd strategy. They are signaling that they value Skubal as a cornerstone piece for their own competitive window. Their preference is likely to keep him and build a winner around him. However, if a team makes an offer that is simply too good to refuse, they have left the door open to pivot and fast-track their long-term plans.
A more likely scenario, as Nightengale suggests, could see the Tigers holding onto Skubal until the 2026 trade deadline. If Detroit is not in playoff contention by then, they could move him for a substantial return to a team desperate for an ace for their postseason push. For now, the message from Detroit is clear: Tarik Skubal is their guy, and it will take a historic offer to change that.
