Rays Shockingly Named a Top Fit for Tarik Skubal in Trade

Tarik Skubal to the Tampa Bay Rays? Don't count it out ahead of the trade deadline.

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal talks to reporters before a game against the Boston Red Sox on May 4, 2026, at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan. | Evan Petzold / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have been playing at an incredibly high level thus far this season.

Despite a recent blip in the radar against the Baltimore Orioles, who returned the favor and swept the Rays, the team is in a great spot. They have a 34-19 record, which is the best in the American League, putting them 1.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East race.

Unless catastrophe strikes and the wheels fall completely off, Tampa Bay will be a playoff team in the AL. To solidify their standing as one of the best teams in the MLB, expect them to be buyers ahead of the deadline.

There are a few areas of weakness that need improvement. The first area everyone looks to is the pitching staff, where injuries have decimated the depth. Finding some help for the starting rotation could be priority No. 1, but how high in the market will the Rays be willing to go?

Rays are legitiate threats in Tarki Skubal sweepstakes

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. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

In the past, Tampa Bay has shown a willingness to make a big move to help put the team over the top. An opportunity could once again present itself this year in the form of back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner, Tarik Skubal.

The Detroit Tigers ace is moving closer and closer to being put on the trade block as the team sinks further and further in the standings. His injury is a big reason the Tigers are in last place in the AL Central, but they have to consider moving him ahead of the deadline.

If he proves healthy, the return package will be massive. And in the opinion of Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required), the Rays are one of the best fits for Skubal, even as a rental.

In a recent article, the former MLB executive broke down how every team in the league could match up with Detroit in a trade for their ace. Bowden listed the best fits, with Tampa Bay landing in second on that list, behind only the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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 Rays have an incredibly deep farm system, replenished with some shrewd offseason trades. They may not have the most top-100-ranked prospects in baseball, but there is some serious talent even outside of the organization’s top 10.

That makes them a legitimate threat in the Skubal sweepstakes, a position no one predicted that Tampa Bay would be in coming into the regular season.

With a new ownership group in place, they could show a little bit of aggression in Year 1. It would be quite a feat to have a contending team on the field in the first year of owning a franchise.

With things moving well in their pursuit of a new stadium, the future looks incredibly bright for the Rays, who look back on track after missing the postseason the last two years.