Inside The Red Sox

Tarik Skubal’s Words Have Red Sox Fans Dreaming Big

The Boston Red Sox already have one of the best rotations in baseball but it wouldn't hurt to bring in the superstar.
Patrick McAvoy|
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws at live batting practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is going to be a free agent after the 2026 season comes to a close.

He was under a microscope throughout the offseason in large part because of his pending free agency. Skubal is a superstar and should get paid like it next offseason with a lucrative, long-term deal. Trade rumors swirled, but nothing has gotten done. The Boston Red Sox were even a team linked to him, although that shouldn't surprise anyone. Boston is a big-market team and has a good farm system. But, again, Skubal has not been moved.

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Unless he lands an extension in Detroit, he'll be up for grabs next offseason. He would make any team better. And Red Sox fans are already on notice. Skubal joined "The BSBLR Show" and was asked where his favorite place to play is, and went on to rave about Fenway Park and Boston as a whole.

The Red Sox should be listening to Tarik Skubal's comments

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Tyler Holton
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, left, talks to pitcher Tyler Holton during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Wrigley's right there," Skubal said. "San Diego's right there. The Yankees are right there. I would say Fenway's [No. 1] and then there's a group of all of them right underneath that are really fun to play in. Fenway, when you go there, the fans are first off incredible. They're like real baseball fans. I think that they understand the game and then 'Sweet Caroline' is like the coolest thing ever in the stadium. And then the history there, right? Like, you're in a clubhouse that sucks, it's small, there's literally two toilets. That's it in the whole clubhouse.

"That's all you got. The weight room that you work out in is on the concourse where the fans are. The batting cage is connected to a bar that you can open and look in and there are people in there drinking. It's just cool. It's just cool. You feel the history when you go there of all the great baseball players that have came through here.

"You sit in the bullpen and you're like, 'This is where Mariano Rivera like shut things down for years,' right? You sit there and do that. The Green Monster is its own thing and the game of baseball there is always interesting. ... Fenway's a very fun place to play and the city of Boston is awesome."

The Red Sox fanbase certainly saw the comments and responded.

It's too early to be thinking about Skubal and Boston, but those comments certainly are interesting. It sounds like he loves Boston. Imagine a rotation featuring him and Garrett Crochet along with Ranger Suárez and Brayan Bello? It may not be too crazy an idea.

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick received an MBA at Brandeis University. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scottneville21@gmail.com

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