Tigers' Asking Price for Tarik Skubal Revealed

Of note, all of the teams listed have a top-seven record in baseball and are legitimate World Series contenders. The only club in that group not included is the Chicago Cubs (57-45), who are also seeking starting pitching help ahead of the deadline.

If traded, Skubal would immediately strengthen his new team's championship chances by giving them a clear-cut ace at the top of the rotation.

Yet the Tigers' trade deadline strategy remains a mystery. Detroit (48-54) sits 6.5 games behind the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox and just 4.5 games behind the final American League Wild Card spot.

The Tigers own the third-best record in MLB since June, going 26-16. That stretch has perhaps increased the chances of the 29-year-old left-hander staying in Detroit through the end of 2026 before reaching free agency.

However, if the Tigers ultimately decide to trade their ace, Detroit's playoff odds would certainly decline. Skubal owns a 2.83 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 14 starts this season. He has recorded 98 strikeouts to just 11 walks while holding opponents to a .217 batting average.

Although he missed more than a month after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow in early May, Skubal has impressed since returning from the injured list, posting a 2.97 ERA in seven starts.

When at his best, there is arguably no starter in baseball more dominant than Skubal. But the potential return may simply be too good for Detroit to pass up. While none of the starters Sammon and Rosenthal mentioned are at Skubal's caliber, each would provide the Tigers with much more club control than the two-plus months remaining before Skubal reaches free agency.

If any of the pitchers mentioned were included in a Skubal trade, they would likely step directly into Detroit's injury-riddled rotation.

Jack Flaherty landed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right flexor inflammation. Justin Verlander has been limited to one start this season because of a left hamstring strain and left hip inflammation, while Reese Olson has yet to pitch after undergoing right shoulder labral repair surgery.

Those injuries only reinforce Skubal's importance to Detroit's rotation and strengthen the argument for keeping him.

Nonetheless, any Skubal trade would be a major game-changer across baseball. For the Tigers specifically, the decision to move their ace could alter the franchise's direction for years to come.