Padres Named Favorite for Tarik Skubal Trade Over Dodgers, Yankees

Major League Baseball' trade deadline is just over two months away, and the San Diego Padres figure to be central players once again.

With president of baseball operations A.J. Preller, the Padres have never been shy to make moves, no matter how aggressive they could be. The Padres have over-performed this season, and this could give the front office the green light to make some additions to fortify the roster.

With starting pitching being the main need, the Padres have been linked to ace Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers. Skubal is expected to be traded this summer following the collapse of the Tigers since Skubal underwent surgery.

With the ace being a free agent at the end of the year and coming off his elbow surgery to remove loose bodies, his trade value should dip from where it would normally be. This is where Preller and the Padres could come in, bringing in arguably the best starter in the game today.

And now it seems that the Padres could be the favorite to land Skubal, even over the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. According to MLB insider Buster Olney of ESPN, San Diego may have the upper hand in the Skubal sweepstakes.

"I think San Diego is gonna get him, they need a starting pitcher, we know AJ Preller, and I say this respectfully, he's a little crazy," Olney said. "Skubal would be a fit, and [Preller] might be one of the general managers who is not afraid to make a trade where he's giving up a lot of value. ... My early favorite: the San Diego Padres."

What are potential trade destinations for Tarik Skubal?@PaulHembo would LOVE the Brewers and Rays to swim with the usual suspects | @ESPNMilwaukee 👀

"My early favorite, the San Diego Padres." - @Buster_ESPN https://t.co/HKSkWiuZdV pic.twitter.com/2KH1WJSrv8
— ESPN Podcasts (@espnpodcasts) May 28, 2026

Does Trading for Tarik Skubal Makes Sense For Padres?

Adding the talent of Skubal makes all the sense in the world for the Padres, but whether trading assets for him is the big question. Skubal is expected to command a contract worth more than $300 million this winter, which could be out of the team's price range.

Some teams may not be willing to give up prospects for a rental, especially if they can't afford to sign him long-term. But the Padres are one of the few teams that could be willing to make this happen.

However, San Diego's farm system has been decimated over the years from other big trades, and this could limit them in a deal.

Adding Skubal to this roster would bolster the chance to win the World Series, as he'd give the Padres a legitimate ace for the rotation. This would also allow him to be with the organization for a few months prior to his free agency, which could give the Padres some advantage in convincing him to stay long-term.

If the Padres can add Skubal to the mix, they should absolutely go all-in to land his services. The core of star players isn't getting any younger, and even if it means giving up some prospects, Skubal could be the difference maker for this franchise to finally get over the hump of winning the World Series.

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