Cubs Trade Idea Shows What It Would Take to Land Tarik Skubal From Tigers

The Chicago Cubs entered the offseason looking to make some big moves to put themselves in a better spot to contend in 2026, and that's exactly what they have done.

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has gotten creative, using a combination of free agent deals and significant trades to improve the outlook and bring the Cubs right to the doorstep of championship contention.

With the winter the Los Angeles Dodgers have had, though, Chicago could use one more huge move in order to carry themselves over the top and take down baseball's most fearsome dynasty. Adding the best pitcher on the planet would certainly help to do just that.

As spring training is now on the doorstep, hypothetical trades for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal continue to be tossed around, and the latest from Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report sees Chicago add the left-hander for young infielder Matt Shaw, top pitching prospect Jaxon Wiggins, and last year's first round selection Ethan Conrad.

Cubs trade three pieces to Tigers in exchange for Skubal in proposal

"Like the Orioles, the Cubs have already been one of the offseason's big winners, but right now they feel more like a team built to win the NL Central than one ready to knock off the Dodgers," Rymer wrote. "A trade for Skubal would change that conversation...And after Cubs starters fanned only 7.5 batters per nine innings in 2025, it would be nice to have a strikeout god like Skubal as a Game 1 starter in October."

Matt Shaw of Chicago Cubs in home white uniform — Chicago Cubs third baseman Matt Shaw | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

While Chicago has done a very nice job building up pitching depth that they did not have this time a year ago -- something that reared its ugly head over the second half -- Rymer is correct in saying there still really is not a true ace.

The temptation of adding Skubal is massive, but for this massive haul, Hoyer would have to think twice about whether or not just one guaranteed season of the repeat American League Cy Young winner is worth it.

Compensation may be too much for Cubs to actually consider

Tarik Skubal of Detroit Tigers reacts to big play. — Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Wiggins has the potential to be a future ace and is likely to make his big league debut this season, and after the impact that Cade Horton had last year, trading him is not going to be something Chicago is eager to do.

Controllability is obviously the major factor here, and both Wiggins and Shaw are young assets who the Cubs can keep for a long time without having to pay. Now, if Skubal were to bring a World Series to Chicago, then it would obviously be worth it, but nothing is guaranteed.

Selling two key young pieces, along with Conrad, who could develop into a future top prospect as well, is a lot to give up for just one season. As they say, you have to give value to get value, though, and getting Skubal certainly would present an absolutely massive amount of value for the Cubs' starting rotation.

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