This week’s mailbag includes the following questions Tarik Skubal, Nick Castellanos, Ian Harp, Pablo Lopez,etc.
Abner asked:
Tarik Skubal trade rumors dominated the news this past weekend. The New York Mets have been mentioned as a possible destination for the Detroit Tigers ace. But if the Mets do want to acquire a player as talented as Skubal (even if it’s just for one year of team control), what’s the realistic prospect capital cost they’d have to endure? Now, Freddy Peralta Also available on the trade market, he would certainly be a more affordable option than Skubal. Find out what David Stearns said about the team’s farm system and his connection to the Brewers. Which trade is more likely to get done, the Peralta deal or the Skubal deal? Thanks in advance.
There was never any indication that Skubal and the Tigers were close to an extension, nor that the team’s desire to trade him had changed. Steve Adams and I disagree on the likelihood of an offseason trade happening. In a discussion last week, Steve put the probability of Skubal being traded this winter at 0.25%. My ratio is between 5-10%.
Steve wrote in his live chat yesterday, “I think the Tigers would be crazy to actually let Skubal play. They’re not going to be better in 2026 without him, no matter the return, unless you’re just counting on Skubal getting injured. He’s the best pitcher in baseball (sorry, Paul Skenesbut you can now be second). I would definitely ride out the year and try to sign him in free agency. Draft picks after the first round aren’t anything, and if the Tigers are serious about making a World Series window now, trading Skubal isn’t something I’d spend much time entertaining. Sure, let teams make crazy offers, but they’d have to get some shocking offers to even consider them. “
My position is that I have no insight into the mind of Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch. If some owners are sure they can’t sign a superstar player, they will trade him in the offseason before his walk year. we have seen Kyle Tucker, Mookie Bates, Juan Soto, corbin burnsand others. I think Steve would probably say that Skubal is different than those players, the team is in a different position, and/or their owner has a different philosophy.
I find it unlikely that Skubal will be traded this winter, but that wouldn’t shock me.
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