Padres, Dodgers Expected to Compete for Tarik Skubal in Blockbuster Trade

The San Diego Padres are expected to be very aggressive ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline this summer.

The Padres have a team that has proven it can compete in the National League, giving the front office the possible green light to be active. Even with the injuries and uncertainty to the starting rotation, the Padres have been able to keep themselves afloat.

President of baseball operations AJ Preller has never been shy about making moves, especially large-scale ones. And it seems that he could have another rabbit to pull out of a hat, with the team again being linked to ace Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Padres are expected to battle the rival Los Angeles Dodgers for Skubal this summer. Nightgale also mentions the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays as potential threats to San Diego for the ace.

The idea of the Tigers trading Skubal has grown in recent times, especially with Detroit getting off to a poor start this season. Skubal will become a free agent after the 2026 season, and to this point, the Tigers have shown no willingness to give him the type of contract he will covet.

Reports have said that Skubal could command a free agency deal upwards of $300 million this offseason. So if the Padres were to trade for Skubal, not only would they be sending the Tigers a potential haul, but the team may need to open the checkbooks to ensure they have him for more than just a few months.

Should the Padres Trade For Tarik Skubal?

The big question for any team like the Padres is whether it makes sense to send a bunch of prospects for the left-hander when they can outright sign him a few months later. But getting a few extra months to convince Skubal to stay with the team could be the sticking point.

Skubal wants to win at the highest level, and the Padres are one of the few teams that could offer him both winning and money. But over the last few years, San Diego has started to cut salaries from the roster, which could complicate matters.

However, the team now does have a new ownership group in place, and they could make a major statement by going after Skubal as the first move. Skubal has won back-to-back Cy Young awards in the American League, and he is generally regarded as the best pitcher in the game today.

One obstacle that the Padres may have in the sweepstakes to land Skubal, at least via trade, is that the farm system has been decimated from other large deals. San Diego's front office may need to get creative to satisfy the high demand that the Tigers would want to move Skubal at the deadline.

The main question that the Padres will have to answer is whether they believe going all-in on this season makes sense. And the answer to that question should be yes.

Both Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. aren't getting any younger, and if the Padres can ensure a better chance to win a World Series this year, they should take it. Trading for Skubul is a risk since he is a rental, but sometimes taking a gamble is well worth it for teams.

It's better to have tried to win than for a front office to be scared to make a move. And as everyone knows, with the Padres, they have never been scared — so this team shouldn't overthink going after Skubal if he does become available.

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