Rays Unsurprisingly Among Teams Expected To Call on Tarik Skubal

The Detroit Tigers are going to start getting calls on Tarik Skubal and one of them will come from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jul 12, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the second inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tampa Bay Rays have consistently been one of the best teams in the American League this season and are looking to solidify their spot atop the standings with a few moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline.

Of course, the player everyone is keeping an eye on is Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. The two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner could be made available ahead of the trade deadline with the team falling further and further out of contention.

In a recent update provided by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required), teams around the league were showing some respect to the Tigers by not placing trade calls recently as they looked to get back on track. 

But now that they are riding a three-game losing streak and the MLB trade deadline is six days away, such pleasantries are being done away with. After that loss, it was reported that teams were going to start making calls on Skubal, and the Rays are among the contenders.

Rays will be among teams making calls on Tarik Skubal

Jul 12, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are among the clubs expected to inquire on Skubal, the reigning AL back-to-back Cy Young winner,” Rosenthal wrote.

It comes as no surprise that all the World Series contenders are going to be in on Skubal. Whoever can land him, should he be traded, could greatly swing the odds of taking home the title in their favor.

The arms race to acquire him will be fascinating to watch unfold. Small market clubs such as Tampa Bay and the Brewers are likely going to hold highly-regarded prospects closer to the vest than the other bigger market teams.

There is a delicate balancing act that will have to be done by Erik Neander and the Rays front office, especially since there are other needs to address.

If they are unwilling to include some of their best prospects, such as outfielder Theo Gillen or catchers Caden Bodine and Nathan Flewelling, would they be willing to part ways with more prospects in the top 200 range who may be ranked around No. 10-15 in their organization?

Rays have the means and motivation to pursue Tarik Skubal

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) walks off the field after pitching against Athletics during the fifth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Rays are in a great spot to make an all-in kind of move to acquire a player of Skubal’s caliber. He would address their need for insurance in the rotation, where Shane McClanahan, Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour could be working on some sort of innings limits.

Also, it would provide them another star to go head-to-head with the best pitchers they will be facing off against once the postseason rolls around. The Yankees in the AL have multiple aces with Cam Schlittler, Max Fried and Gerrit Cole.

The Dodgers have an All-Star rotation currently on the sidelines awaiting the return of Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Also in the NL, the Braves have Chris Sale and the Brewers have Jacob Misiorowski.

Tampa Bay’s rotation as a whole has been excellent, but individual star power is lacking, which Skubal would address instantly.