MLB Trade Deadline: Best Starting Pitcher Alternatives to Tarik Skubal

If available at the trade deadline, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal will be the best pitcher a contender can buy. Here are the best backup plans.

Minnesota’s Joe Ryan has been among baseball's best starting pitchers in 2026. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

If you’re shopping, it’s always tempting to buy the best name-brand product, even if it means spending a bit more than you’d like. The rationale for such a purchase is often something like, well, I’m getting what I paid for. It’s a rationale that many contending clubs are going to tell themselves at this year’s trade deadline, should the scuffling Tigers make ace Tarik Skubal available via trade.

Skubal, a back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, would instantly be the best player available. Plus, during a trade season that figures to have more buyers than sellers due to the crowded standings in each league, the Tigers will be able to deal from a position of power. There will be teams willing to pay such an exorbitant price—namely, any club that believes it’s an ace pitcher away from winning the World Series. But what about pitcher-needy teams that don’t want to pay up for the name brand ace and prefer a starting pitcher of the store brand variety? These are the guys for them.

Best starting pitcher trade deadline alternatives to Tarik Skubal

Joe Ryan, Twins

Ryan is no stranger to trade rumors, as he was bandied about as a possible trade chip during his inaugural All-Star campaign last year ahead of a Twins sell-off. The 30-year-old righthander is a pure strike-thrower who ranks among the top 30 pitchers in swinging strike rate and called strike rate since 2024 while pitching to a 3.43 ERA during that span. Ryan, under club control through 2027, will be highly sought after should the Twins, who are hanging around in a weak AL wild card race, decide to move him.

Freddy Peralta, Mets

From a pure stuff standpoint, Peralta may be the best alternative to Skubal. Unfortunately, he’s in the midst of a mediocre season with the Mets, though inquiring clubs may be willing to partially chalk it up to New York’s poor defense, given his track record as a frontline starter. Over the last three seasons in Milwaukee, Peralta averaged a 3.40 ERA and 204 strikeouts over 172 innings. He also finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting last year.

José Soriano, Angels

Angels pitcher Jose Soriano owns the seventh-highest swinging-strike rate among starters in MLB. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Soriano has come back down to earth after his hot start, but he’s still in the midst of a breakout season for the floundering Angels. What’s particularly intriguing about Soriano is his ability to get outs both on the ground and via the strikeout. What’s not is his bloated 12% walk rate. The Angels boast just a 1.4% chance to make the playoffs and their farm system needs to be revitalized. As such, one would hope a starter like Soriano, with two more seasons of club control, would be dealt at this year’s deadline—especially after the firing of Perry Minasian—but one never knows with the Angels.

Reid Detmers, Angels

Ditto for Detmers, who has pitched even better than his 3.88 ERA would suggest. The southpaw, armed with an elite slider, has been one of baseball’s best swing-and-miss starters and boasts a 27.6% strikeout rate this season. Detmers also comes with two years of club control.

Casey Mize, Tigers

If looking for the best Skubal alternative, why not look to one of Skubal’s teammates? Mize, 29, is in the midst of a career year, sporting a 2.95 ERA (2.78 FIP) and 58 strikeouts through 58 innings (11 starts). Mize is a free agent at the end of the year and thus, a rental arm, but a darn good one.

Sandy Alcantara, Marlins

Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara won the 2022 National League Cy Young Award. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The only Cy Young Award winner on this list, Alcantara’s track record is that of a Skubal-caliber ace. And while he has yet to rediscover his elite form since that special 2022 season, Alcantara can still be a strong No. 2 or 3 starter on a playoff team. With a club option at the end of this season, Alcantara may not become a free agent until after next season and could command a strong return for Miami. However, the Marlins’ recent surge may make the club buyers, not sellers.

Sonny Gray, Red Sox

Gray, at 36 years young, is pitching like a frontline starter for the Red Sox, as he currently owns a 2.69 ERA through 15 starts, which would be the second-lowest mark of his career if the season ended today. He has a full no-trade clause, but recently told the Boston Globe that he’d be “open for a conversation” if the Red Sox wanted to trade him before the deadline.

Michael Wacha, Royals

Wacha leads the AL in innings pitched and is tied for the MLB lead with 12 quality starts. Using a six-pitch arsenal, Wacha has been a reliable strike-thrower and master at inducing weak contact in recent seasons. Innings eaters don’t grow on trees anymore, and Wacha comes with both club control ($14 million salary in 2027, $14M club option for ’28) and postseason experience (2013 NLCS MVP).

Foster Griffin, Nationals

Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin doesn't throw hard but has limited opposing hitters to a .209 batting average. | James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

A 30-year-old pitcher returning to MLB after three seasons in Japan, Griffin, who owns a 2.93 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 98 ⅓ innings, has helped stabilize the Nationals’ pitching staff every fifth day. The lefty averages just 91.4 mph on his fastball but a seven-pitch mix has helped neutralize opposing hitters to a .209 batting average. Griffin is a free agent at the end of the year.

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