Why Tigers Potentially Trading Tarik Skubal is the Right Move

The Tigers would be wise to do this

Jul 18, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Detroit Tigers have perhaps the biggest fish in the pond: Tarik Skubal. The left-hander is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent at the end of the season.

Detroit has struggled this season, but a recent surge has allowed them back into the wild card race. Still, Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN believe that Skubal is highly likely to be moved.

Ultimately, this would be the right move for the Tigers as they shift their focus beyond 2026. Here is why.

Why Trading Tarik Skubal Makes Sense

Jul 18, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The reason trading Skubal is a good idea is because he is a free agent at the end of the season, and the Tigers are increasingly likely to lose him this coming winter. If they trade him now, they can still capitalize on his value while it's at its highest and bring back a strong return for him.

If they were to hold on to him, they would be making the exact same mistake the Los Angeles Angels made with Shohei Ohtani. While the Tigers are only 4 1/2 games back in the wild card race, they have five teams to jump over just to get the third spot, and with the Boston Red Sox as hot as they are, that's going to be very hard to do.

Detroit is also seven games below the .500 mark at 47-53, and while they have won seven on their last 10 games, they may ultimately start to lose ground soon, and this is why trading Skubal makes sense.

A Skubal trade would essentially mean that the Tigers are giving up on 2026, but they could still set themselves up well for 2027 and beyond by bringing back a haul for him. The best course of action is for them to accept that 2026 is not their year and shift their focus to the future.

They still have a strong young core in place, so supplementing it with more talented young pieces that have years of control would be a good move for the Tigers, even if it means punting on 2026.

If Detroit were in a playoff spot, then it would be a different story. But they are not, and with so much uncertainty, even in a weak American League, it just doesn't make sense for them to keep their ace.