Padres Expected to Go All-In for Tarik Skubal in Blockbuster Trade Deadline Swing

Coming into the 2026 season, the big question around the San Diego Padres was how the starting rotation would hold up over the year.

The Padres lost ace Dylan Cease over the offseason, and the team replaced him with a quantity-over-quality approach. However, the starters haven't been the big issue for the Padres this season, which has been a major surprise.

The team has been able to withstand any uncertainty from the starting group, and it could now see the front office go all-in at the trade deadline this summer.

One MLB insider believes that the Padres will be major players in the sweepstakes to land ace Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. While speaking to Robert Murray of FanSided, an anonymous MLB executive said he expects San Diego to make a play for the left-hander if he becomes available.

“The Padres will,” he said.

The trade value of Skubal was also discussed, with the executive laying out what to expect.

"I don’t think anyone can answer that. I don’t think we have ever seen a pitcher this good coming off such a bizarre injury," he said. "He’s playing for a team that is trying to win themselves, so there are so many factors at play. If I had to answer, I’d say one top-100 prospect plus a top-15 and one more throw in.”

Should Padres Trade For Tarik Skubal?

Every team in the league would love to have a player like Skubal on the roster, but the big problem for the Padres will be the price. San Diego's farm system has been decimated over the years due to multiple big-time trades.

The Tigers are going to ask for the moon to move Skubal, and while the Padres will be in the mix, whether they have enough to get the deal done is an entirely different question. But if the Padres were to offer one of their top prospects, such as Ethan Salas or Kruz Schoolcraft, it could maybe get the Tigers interested.

This would be a big ask, but Skubal is the reigning two-time Cy Young winner in the American League. Skubal is an established commodity in the big leagues, and the Padres could drastically use his services moving forward.

Since Skubal is a rental, there will be some teams that are hesitant to move a lot for him. But Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller has been known for his aggressive trade moves, and this could come into play again.

Adding Skubal to this roster could change everything for San Diego, as they may finally be able to capture a World Series title. Having a rotation headlined by Skubal, Michael King, Randy Vásquez and Lucas Giolito could be tough to beat.

This doesn't even include Nick Pivetta or Joe Musgrove, both of whom are currently injured. The Padres could have one of the strongest rotations in baseball, which was never a thought at the start of the season.

Of course, trading for a player like Skubal will come with a price, and the Padres would need to open the checkbooks in the offseason if they want to keep him long-term. Skubal is expected to command a contract north of $300 million, so the Padres would, in all likelihood, be making a deal like this with the intention to keep him.

Overall, if the Padres have the chance to land Skubal, even as a rental, it could be well worth it. But the team will need to weigh a ton of different scenarios, including how a trade would impact multiple seasons into the future, if he were to leave in free agency.

They, of course, will also need to see how he comes back from his injury, as he underwent surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow earlier this season.

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