Examining Proposed Tarik Skubal Trade Package Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline
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The Detroit Tigers entered the series against the Baltimore Orioles with a 31.6% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs, before their 8-5 loss on Monday. Ahead of game two of the three-game set, the Tigers now hold a 25.9% chance of making the playoffs, sitting seven games under .500 at 50-57.
With the MLB Trade Deadline around the corner, it's beginning to look like Detroit will trade back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, who is one of the biggest trade pieces the franchise has had since Justin Verlander in 2017. However, the front office can't afford to repeat the trade package they got for Verlander with the Houston Astros.
According to Jeff Passan, opposing MLB executives all say that the Tigers want to trade Skubal, but the question is: can they? A ton of suitors will want Skubal; however, if the package isn't grand enough, will Scott Harris and company pull the trigger to get the deal done, or would they rather keep him and lose him in the offseason for a draft pick?
Examaning Recent Proposed Trade Package for Skubal
ESPN revealed a trade package that Detroit could be highly interested in, but let's weigh out the pros and cons of the deal, should it get done.
Pros
Logan Henderson fits the bill for what the Tigers are reportedly looking for in a trade for Skubal: controllable, young players with high MLB upside/MLB ready. Henderson joining the Detroit rotation alongside Framber Valdez, Troy Melton and Keider Montero doesn't sound too shabby, especially if the team believes it can still make a run at the playoffs in the following months.
Henderson has posted a 3.05 ERA in eight starts in 2026, surpassing 38 innings of work, while striking out 47 batters. In his career 13 starts, Henderson holds a 2.54 ERA. His four-pitch-mix allows him to dominate on the mound, giving him a high upside for his future in the MLB.
Josh Adamczewski can play both second base and left field, which manager A.J. Hinch loves in his players on the MLB roster. Still a few years away, he's a prospect that Detroit could use for depth in the infield and outfield. Not to mention he's hitting .292 in Double-A with extra-base power.
Ricki Moneys wouldn't be ready to go until past the 2030 season, according to MLB.com. Just 17, Moneys would be the biggest gamble in the trade package in terms of experience and production already shown. But he does fit what this infield depth needs in the minor leagues.
Cons
The biggest con surrounds the biggest trade piece in the package, Logan Henderson. While he fits Detroit's needs, he does have an injury history that could be unsettling for the Tigers' front office.
In August of 2025, Milwaukee placed Henderson on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation. He also missed some time at the beginning of his professional career with arm injuries, including a fracture in his right elbow that required surgery to install pins, according to MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.
Henderson also had some back strain issues earlier this season, but when he's on the mound, he's proven in his small sample size to be a pitcher to build around for the future. But with a decision so big, Harris and the Tigers have to consider past injuries to ensure they're making the right decision.
When looking at Henderson, despite the early injuries in his career, he feels like a player that Detroit could build around, as the trade package proposal as a whole would easily be a better, big-deal trade than it was for the Tigers to acquire Franklin Perez, Daz Cameron, Jake Rogers for JV almost a decade ago.
If this trade goes through, both the Brewers and Tigers would be considered winners. Detroit would get pieces for the future with an MLB-ready pitcher who has shown high upside, as well as two batters who will only improve with time in the minor leagues. Milwaukee would get arguably the best pitcher in baseball to pair with NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski, in what could finally be the year for the Brew Crew.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.