Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal Addresses Trade Rumors After Winning Second Cy Young
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The Detroit Tigers had a spectacular moment last night when their ace Tarik Skubal became the first pitcher to win back-to-back American League Cy Young awards since Pedro Martinez more than two decades ago.
For as special as this run for Skubal has been, it's being punctuated this offseason by looming potential trade talks entering his final season of team control before hitting the open market a year from now.
It's understandable why Detroit would have to at least consider doing the unthinkable given the prospect of losing him for nothing in free agency, but Skubal has said over and over how he wants to be in the Motor City. With extension talks breaking down though and the trade noise becoming real, the big lefty clearly has his ear to the ground and spoke about the possibility of being dealt.
Skubal Says He Does Not Want Tigers to Trade Him
"Contract extension stuff is a little bit different, but trade stuff is out of my control," Skubal said via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. "I've given everything I have to this organization. I want to be a Tiger for a very long time...I love Detroit. Hopefully, I'm here. That's where I'm at with all of that."
Clearly, the prospect of being traded is not something Skubal is comfortable with, but as he has found out more so than anyone else over the last calendar year, baseball is a business and teams will make business decisions.
With an extension offer that clearly placed an ocean between Detroit and Skubal's representation, the ace clearly has had to reckon with the fact that there is a very real chance he will not be spending his entire career with one team.
Will Tigers Actually Trade Skubal This Winter?
Despite the fact that comments this week at the GM meetings from Detroit's general manager Jeff Greenberg do not exactly inspire confidence that Skubal won't be dealt, the most recent reporting has indicated it's more likely he stays put for now.
If the Tigers were to receive a massive offer this offseason though, they would be foolish to not at least think about it considering what the alternative is. Unless Detroit suddenly completely changes course in extension talks -- which is very unlikely -- Skubal will be pitching for another team at the start of the 2027 season.
Depending on what the Tigers feel their championship chances are in 2026, there's a legitimate case to be made to move him now, but for now Detroit is digging their heels in and trying to win with him next season.
In order to do that, they will have to make legitimate difference making moves to put the team back in the best possible position to win next season, otherwise they are simply wasting their one year with a historically great pitcher at the top of the rotation.
Regardless, Skubal wants to stay put, so time will tell if the Tigers honor that wish or choose to make the kind of deal which would shake the very fabric of the baseball world this winter.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.