ORLANDO, Fla. — Tarik Skubal probably isn’t getting traded. Let’s get that out of the way.
With the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner set to hit free agency a year from now, rumors have swirled about whether the Detroit Tigers would deal him for a haul this offseason. That’s because Skubal’s future in navy and orange looks increasingly hazy.
A healthy 2026 from Skubal would nearly guarantee a record-breaking contract, regardless of how a work stoppage would impact the sport entering 2027. Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, generally advises his top clients to avoid extensions in order to test free agency. And while Skubal could return to the Motor City via the open market, that outcome feels improbable considering the financial might of the teams in New York and Los Angeles.
And so the Tigers — coming off a bizarre season in which they bungled a division lead in historic fashion and then were a swing away from reaching the ALCS — face a fascinating and complex situation with the best pitcher on the planet.
But as it pertains to this offseason, one thing is abundantly clear: The Tigers cannot afford any half-measures.
President of baseball operations Scott Harris must act aggressively to try to build a legitimate World Series contender for what might well be Skubal’s final year with the team. Detroit should add significant pieces to supercharge what is already a very balanced and talented roster. Players such as Skubal do not come around often, meaning Harris and Co. owe it to themselves, their fan base and their ace to push their chips in right freakin’ now.
And if that’s not the plan, then they might as well trade him.
For the first half of 2025, the Tigers smelled like the American League favorite. On July 8, they held MLB’s best record at 59-34 and were 14 games up on the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central. Riley Greene was mashing. Spencer Torkelson was rejuvenating his career. Javy Báez was authoring an implausible renaissance. And the interchangeable roster of misfits that stormed into October the year prior was clicking on all cylinders. Zach McKinstry was a deserving All-Star, for Pete’s sake. Everything was rosy in the D.
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Then everything fell apart. From that date forward, the Tigers had a worse winning percentage than the Nationals, Pirates and White Sox. The arms behind Skubal, particularly Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty, hit a skid. The lineup stopped scoring runs. Things completely cratered, and only a similarly embarrassing schneid from the Astros enabled Detroit to save face and sneak into October.
The Tigers’ eight postseason games — three in a wild-card victory against Cleveland and five in an ALDS loss to Seattle — showcased both the good and the infuriating sides of the roster. Detroit can prevent runs, no matter who’s on the mound. They play a hard-nosed style of ball that makes them a pest in October against superior competition. But the majority of their lineup looked overmatched time and time again when faced with top-flight arms. Nobody but Kerry Carpenter instilled fear or discomfort. Detroit scored two or fewer runs in five of those eight games.
The Tigers seem unlikely to trade ace Tarik Skubal. But if that’s the case, then they need to really go for it this winter.
(Bruno Rouby/Yahoo Sports)
It might sound reductive, overly straightforward, but the Tigers simply need more elite hitters.
Gleyber Torres, who accepted the qualifying offer and will return to Detroit on a one-year deal, is a professional hitter and a great supplementary piece. Greene has a ton of swing and miss but is still only 25 and already has two All-Star Games under his belt. Dillon Dingler has developed into an above-average every-day catcher. And while Carpenter can’t hit lefties, few players in the game are more fearsome against righties.
Beyond that quartet, the Tigers should seek to improve their position-player group. Of course, not every other spot needs an upgrade, plus the team’s positional versatility allows for a plethora of paths to take. Alex Bregman, with whom Detroit got close last winter, would be a superb fit. Same with Cody Bellinger. Same with either of the two Japanese sluggers coming over, Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto. Bo Bichette would require an infield reshuffling, but that matters less than acquiring a primetime, needle-moving player.
Harris has done a stellar job since taking over as the chief executive following the 2022 season. Two trips to the postseason are nothing to sneeze at, and they’ve helped rejuvenate the team’s popularity in a city hungry for a title. The organization’s systems and processes are strong. The farm system is top-heavy, but it contains a pair of potential future All-Stars in Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark. Things are good. If Skubal leaves, the Tigers won’t fall into total disrepair.
But the time is now, and the window is open.
Both last winter and after the most recent trade deadline, Harris received criticism for being overly cautious. He failed to sufficiently reinforce a lineup that desperately needed a jolt. Most crucially, he has not taken a big swing during his time in charge. The Tigers have not handed out any long-term deals or struck any high-risk, high-reward trades.
Perhaps Harris plays it straight once again, and the 2026 Tigers look a lot like the 2025 Tigers. Maybe that works and Skubal leads the team to postseason glory. But in the shadow of a postseason that proved, once again, that you need game-changing players to win a title, the Tigers, as currently constructed, look unworthy and incapable.
Skubal is a generational force with an expiration date. The Tigers must take advantage of the time they have left.
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