A Scary Look at Tigers Starting Rotation if Tarik Skubal Were To Be Traded

The Tigers roster still holds too many questions with opening day inching closer and closer.

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks off the field after pitching the first inning against Mariners at ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This free agency has been quite entertaining as contracts have blown up all over the place for some of the best available players in the game. While the Detroit Tigers didn't take a big loss this time around, they sure could at the end of 2026, as one of the greatest pitchers to ever do it will become available.

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Tarik Skubal is going to require a substantial contract to whoever decides to sign him when his time rolls around at the end of this upcoming year, which is a concern for the Tigers, as they want to keep him, but will they spend the money?

The decision doesn't necessarily have to come now, but if Detroit is going to lose him anyway, they might consider making a trade now, because the price on his head would require a lot of talent to be dealt back to the Tigers.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While the idea of the Tigers adding some depth to their hitting lineup is surely enticing, losing Skubal is more than just a big hit. He is a 2x Cy Young award winner, amongst a million other accolades, and he shapes their starting rotation.

The face of Detroit is, and has been, Skubal the last two years. Clearly, one player doesn't completely guarantee wins for the team, but he is an almost guaranteed win when he takes the mound. Their pitching staff looks much less scary without him on the roster.

Starting Rotation Without Skubal

Casey Mize | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

An issue the Tigers currently have with their rotation, with or without Skubal, is the lack of depth. Only three pitchers made more than 13 starts in 2025: Skubal, Casey Mize, and Jack Flaherty. If a trade were to be in the works, the organization needs another arm to replace him.

If the Tigers were to deal away Skubal, that would immediately put Mize as their opening day starter after the season he just had. Mize finished the year with more wins than Skubal (14) and a 3.87 ERA, which earned him the first All-Star selection of his career.

Casey Mize y’all 👏 pic.twitter.com/M5lf4IYZOv

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 10, 2025

Jack Flaherty on the other hand trailed only Skubal on the team in strikeouts as he finished the year with 188, but his ERA was the concern (4.64) as he went 8-15 in his 31 starts. Flaherty is a solid No.3 pitcher to have in the rotation, but he isn't going to be the ace by any means.

It seems awfully late in the offseason to trade Skubal, but if it does happen they will need to address their starting rotation before opening day rolls around in two months.

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