Tarik Skubal Trade Rumors Are a Major Disservice to Diamondbacks Fans

The speculation has begun to fly surrounding Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, and the Arizona Diamondbacks have, surprisingly, been shoved into the heart of that narrative already.

Considering the Tigers are on a massive slide, at 22-35 and in last place of the AL Central, it's no shock to see the rumors begin. Skubal is a free agent after this year, and it does not appear Detroit is going to pay what it takes to keep him.

With the inherent value that a truly dominant ace would bring in, it would make sense to deal a player of that caliber, though it would certainly be a difficult truth for Tigers fans to swallow.

A recent article from The Athletic's Jim Bowden broached that uncomfortable subject. Bowden named some of the best fits for Skubal, and whether or not each MLB team would be a realistic destination for the left-hander. Shockingly, this is where the Arizona Diamondbacks come in.

The Tigers currently face an uphill climb even for a wild-card berth — and it may be time to start testing the waters on a potential Tarik Skubal deal.

Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers appear to have the strongest trade package to offer.

Full breakdown of all 29 other teams' fits… pic.twitter.com/ZfqsqdUqXu
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) May 28, 2026

The Diamondbacks, somehow, ranked sixth among Bowden's top potential destinations. But that speculation will likely do more harm than good for Arizona's fans.

Diamondbacks named unlikely top fit for Tarik Skubal

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against Milwaukee Brewers during the fifth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 23, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here's what Bowden had to say, specifically, about the Diamondbacks with regard to a Skubal trade:

"I won’t count the Diamondbacks out of a deal like this because of their track record of surprising us with the previous acquisition of aces such as Zack Greinke and Corbin Burnes. If Arizona stays in contention and can see a pathway to the postseason, I think it could be a dark-horse team."

Bowden is not incorrect in this assessment of Arizona's willingness to spend big on top-end aces. That is not so much the issue with his speculation. It simply doesn't make logistical sense for Arizona to make this move, especially if they're going to be contending with the likes of the Dodgers, Cubs Yankees and Padres — among other clubs.

Skubal is currently on the IL, of course, recovering from a minor elbow surgery to remove loose bodies. He's expected to be fully healthy long before the trade deadline, and is already throwing.

In that sense, this type of trade speculation can only serve to artificially inflate Arizona fans' hopes. Here's why this deal does not border on realistic for the Diamondbacks:

Why Tarik Skubal trade to Diamondbacks is unrealistic

Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

First, let's get the obvious questions out of the way. Would Skubal positively contribute to Arizona's pitching staff? Of course. He has a career 3.06 ERA and four straight seasons under 3.00.

He's a back-to-back Cy Young winner whose only current Hall Of Fame obstacle is how long he can keep this up. The big lefty throws upper-90s and has 934 career strikeouts in 810 career innings. He's not good, nor great; he's as elite as it gets.

The problem is, the Diamondbacks don't technically have a strong need in their rotation. They've already had to deal with a logjam there, and will have to deal with another once Burnes make his anticipated mid-July return from Tommy John surgery.

Not that an arm like Skubal wouldn't automatically push out the weakest link in a rotation, but the Diamondbacks, who have improved their rotation ERA to a 14th-best 4.05 during a lengthy string of Quality Starts, are far more likely to utilize their trade capital to address multiple areas, rather than dumping it all into two months of an ace.

After all, the return of Burnes is essentially the same, in theory, as trading for an ace. Except the Diamondbacks have a higher chance of holding on to him for multiple seasons following 2026.

Granted, injuries and extreme regression could create a glaring rotational hole. But even in that circumstance, it's hard to imagine Arizona being one starting pitcher away from another World Series run.

This is, of course, not even acknowledging the exorbitant cost that would come with acquiring Skubal, which, by itself, is a severely hindering factor.

Cost of Tarik Skubal would be too great for Diamondbacks

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal talks to reporters after a bullpen session in return from elbow surgery May 18, 2026, at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. | Evan Petzold / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Not only would the Tigers look for a trade package of intense prospect (and perhaps major league) value, but Skubal is also on a historically-large arbitration deal of $32 million.

Unless Detroit would eat much of that money — which would cost even more of Arizona's prospect pool, if at all possible — the Diamondbacks would have to add a large chunk of salary to their payroll, while already flirting with the Luxury Tax threshold.

In turn, that would wipe out much, if not all of the financial resources available to GM Mike Hazen when it comes to addressing other areas at the Deadline. And it would be for an arm they have zero control of beyond 2026. That's just not the way the Hazen has approached the trade deadline, historically.

The one thing the Diamondbacks do have going in their favor is their home state of Arizona. Skubal is a native of Kingman, Arizona, and often have notable free agents expressed a desire to play and live in the Phoenix area. It was a large factor in why Burnes took a lesser deal to play for the D-backs.

But ultimately, if Skubal does head to the NL West, there are two other teams who feel like more serious players. One particular white-and-blue-themed southern California club feels like the only realistic destination for the Tigers' ace.

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