How the Tarik Skubal Trade Affects the Nationals, Foster Griffin

A massive trade deadline domino fell late on Saturday night, and it could have major implications on the Washington Nationals.

Per multiple reports, two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Tigers received two top-100 prospects -- outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 25) and right-handed pitcher River Ryan (No. 68) -- and another prospect -- right-handed pitcher Brady Smith.

While the Dodgers were seen as front-runners to acquire Skubal ever since the left-handed superstar was placed on the trade block, that deal still rocked the baseball world. And when it comes to how that might affect the Nationals, this trade could impact what they do with Foster Griffin.

Contenders Could Pivot to Foster Griffin as Their Tarik Skubal Fallback

Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Multiple contenders around the league were interested in Skubal. So now that he's off the market, they will have to turn their attention elsewhere if they are going to upgrade their pitching staff. That's where Griffin could vault to the top of their target boards.

Teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and even the Philadelphia Phillies were all reported to be eyeing the starting pitcher market. Before Skubal was traded, the Braves made a deal that brought in left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter. But he has a 13.97 ERA across five appearances this season, and he might be used out of their bullpen, so Atlanta could still be looking for a rotation piece.

The Diamondbacks, Cubs, Brewers and Rays are all seriously looking to acquire a starter. And based on Griffin's 3.06 ERA through 22 starts, he might be the top target for that quartert based on his low salary and high-end performance.

With those team in desperate need of an impactful starting pitcher, a bidding war could be coming for Griffin, which just might force Washington to part ways with the 2026 All-Star.

Foster Griffin Might Not Fetch the Return the Nationals Envisioned

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

However, there's now a chance that Griffin doesn't yield the offers that Nationals president of baseball operations Paul Toboni envisioned. After all, many people around the baseball world were shocked by how little the Dodgers gave up to get Skubal, which might skew the market for the rest of the starting pitchers who are available for trade.

Sure, Hope is a headliner. He's 21 years old and has hit 23 home runs with 87 RBIs and a slash line of .293/.369/.530 across 94 games at the Double-A level this season. But Ryan is a 27-year-old who has already undergone Tommy John surgery with just four big league starts to his name. And he has a 4.46 ERA through eight starts at Triple-A this season. Throw in the fact that the other prospect Detroit acquired isn't in the top 100 and Los Angeles was able to hold onto their their four best minor leaguers, and it's fair to wonder what teams are going to offer for Griffin.

Before the Skubal deal was completed, there were some rumblings that Washington was trying to get an extension finalized with Griffin. But it was also reported that they would still consider trading him if they were offered something that outweighed the benefit of extending him.

It's not clear at this time if the Skubal trade impacted things one way or the other. But at the very least, the biggest starting pitching domino has now fallen, and the market has been set when it comes to what type of offers Griffin might generate from contenders around the league.

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