Blockbuster Tigers Trade Proposal 'Could Get' Paul Skenes Trade Done with Pirates

If the Pittsburgh Pirates decide to trade Paul Skenes, there is no team in a better position to land him than the Detroit Tigers.

Jul 1, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the third inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

For potentially the next few years, the baseball would will be watching to see if the Pittsburgh Pirates decide to trade Paul Skenes. If they do, the Detroit Tigers may just have the best trade package to offer.

ESPN insider David Schoenfield recently weighed a handful of trade hauls that different teams could offer the Pirates to entice them to trade the generational pitching talent.

This haul of an offer from the Tigers was considered "the one that could get it done," should Pittsburgh decide to listen: outfielder Max Clark, shortstop Kevin McGonigle, pitcher Jackson Jobe, infielder Colt Keith and pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long.

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That is a deal that the Pirates would be fools to say no to, but it may also be too much for Detroit to offer even when the end prize is someone of Skenes' level.

It's important to focus on the player that they would be acquiring in this scenario.

Skenes was winning the College World Series at this time just two years ago. Since then, he has made 42 career starts with a 1.95 ERA, 0.936 WHIP and 295 strikeouts in 249 innings of work.

The word gets thrown out a lot, but he truly is a generational talent on the mound. Best of all? He just recently turned 23 and is under team control until 2029.

The already two-time All-Star is one of the best pitchers in all of baseball and figures to be so for a long time. One of the only guys that may be better than him is also on the Tigers pitching staff in Tarik Skubal.

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A postseason rotation that includes both Skenes and Skubal, with the offense playing at the level it is, would instantly make them playoff favorites.

While that trade offer does seem like a lot to give up, winning a World Series would absolutely make it worth it.

The Tigers already have a young roster and a fantastic farm system that would potentially allow them to survive the losses of players Clark and McGonigle.

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From a Pittsburgh standpoint, this would completely transform the future of their franchise. While they do lose a great pitcher, he gets replaced by Jobe and then their future gets much better at a number of key positions.

It would be a very large swing to take, but one that Detroit should actually consider offering. There is always the risk of injury, but Skenes is good enough to make that risk worth it.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.