Blue Jays Surprisingly Named as Trade Deadline Fit for Top Ace Available
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The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to get back to the World Series by any means necessary after coming so close to winning it all last October, but it's not going to be easy.
Despite spending a ton this winter to shore up the pitching staff, general manager Ross Atkins and the front office can always do more. While a blockbuster before Opening Day is probably unlikely at this point, the hope of course is that Toronto is a buyer at the trade deadline in July.
If the Blue Jays want to put themselves in the best spot possible at that point -- provided they have taken care of business and are in the hunt -- another ace pitcher could do wonders for them.
In a recent article from Mike Axisa of CBS Sports naming best fits for the top deadline candidates to be dealt, Toronto was surprisingly named as a potential landing spot for Detroit Tigers superstar ace Tarik Skubal.
Blue Jays Named Fit for Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal at Trade Deadline
"Do I think it's likely the Tigers stumble so badly the first four months of the season that they seriously consider trading Skubal at the deadline? No, I don't. Is it possible? Absolutely," Axisa wrote. "The Tigers had a rough finish to 2025, particularly on offense, and that's not something Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander will fix. A middling offense and untimely pitching injuries could push the Tigers out of the race and put Skubal on the block. Even as a rental with an enormous salary (he would still be owed about $10 million at the trade deadline), the bidding war for Skubal would be fierce."
Toronto was named as a great fit along with their usual suspect hated rival New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, two teams who they will have to fend off if they are going to get over that championship hump.
Ultimately, Skubal would cost a ton as a rental in this hypothetical, but having him in the fold could be the final piece this team needs to accomplish the ultimate goal.
Blue Jays Could Form Fearsome Staff with Skubal in October
Toronto already has a strong rotation barring injuries and inconsistency, but Skubal is another animal. He is the best pitcher on the planet, and pairing him with Dylan Cease and Kevin Gausman -- even if it's just for half a season -- at the top of the staff is absolutely mouth-watering stuff.
Ultimately, this is probably a pipe dream if Detroit is in the playoff race like they should be, but if the chance Skubal is dealt is even discussed, the Blue Jays should be one of the teams on the phone. If they aren't, one of their rivals certainly will be and make an already difficult task borderline impossible.
Adding Skubal to this staff would give Toronto a heck of a chance against anyone they were to go up against, and it would keep him away from other teams. It's a long shot, but never say never.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.