Tigers Jaw-Dropping Trade Proposal Sees Tarik Skubal to Dodgers for Massive Haul
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The Detroit Tigers came into the offseason with a massive question looming over them that they will have to answer this week with regards to their superstar ace left-hander Tarik Skubal.
As the winter meetings arrive in Orlando, it's more likely than not that if Detroit was going to do the unthinkable and trade away the repeat American League Cy Young, it would happen now. Teams will present Scott Harris with their best offers, and the Tigers executive will decide if it's worth moving on or running it back for what is ultimately just one more season.
Throughout the entire rumor mill process, basically since the season ended, the one team that has continuously been connected to a Skubal trade is the now two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
It makes sense why, with one of the deepest farm systems in baseball and always relentlessly looking to take the next step to improve. Over the weekend, former MLB GM and current baseball insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) formed a trade proposal that puts a pretty clear picture of what Detroit would be looking at here.
Tigers Acquire New Ace, Solid Arm and Star Prospect from Dodgers
As the center of the return, Bowden has Detroit acquiring Los Angeles ace Tyler Glasnow in addition to high upside current MLB arm Emmet Sheehan and highly-rated outfield prospect Zyhir Hope.
"The Dodgers’ rotation goes from special to legendary with the addition of Skubal and his back-to-back Cy Young Awards," Bowden wrote. "The Tigers say goodbye to their ace but add another top-of-the-rotation arm who is signed for three seasons, a young starter they can slide right into the rotation and a high ceiling prospect who eventually could form a dynamic outfield with Riley Greene and Max Clark."
If Harris is determined to get the absolutely maximum value in exchange for Skubal -- which of course he should be -- as much as it would sting, sending him to the Dodgers is likely the best hope.
Is Return Enough for Tigers to Accept the Deal?
While prospects get the most attention in terms of trade discussion, Detroit was always going to need some legitimate Major League level compensation to even consider making a Skubal trade, and this deal certainly presents that.
Glasnow, who is under team control at a somewhat reasonable figure until 2029, would instantly slot in as the team's ace. Despite some injury issues in recent years, he has been reliable and productive when on the field, and the combination of both him and Sheehan in the rotation is a nice start towards replacing Skubal by committee.
Hope meanwhile, gives the Tigers a high-ceiling 20-year-old outfielder to develop over the next few years, along with their other numerous blue chip prospects.
Whether or not Detroit would actually take this deal will have to be seen this week, but it's hard to imagine them getting a much better offer than Los Angeles can put together. Needless to say, it would enrage the rest of the baseball world, but that's not the Tigers problem.
If they are going to trade a generational star, it needs to be for a king's ransom, and even though it would be nauseating, the Dodgers have the best chance of offering that.
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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.