Spencer Jones for Tarik Skubal? Yankees Should Ignore Insider's Pitch

As great as Tarik Skubal is, the Yankees shouldn't sacrifice Spencer Jones to pull off a trade for the two-time AL Cy Young winner. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Keep that in mind as the Tigers ponder trade ideas for ace left-hander Tarik Skubal.

As you would expect, the Yankees continue to be mentioned as a potential suitor. But the latest trade proposal is one that general manager Brian Cashman should toss in the trash.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden imagined seven theoretical trade packages for the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner. What he cooked up for the Yankees is an eye-opener.

Who will trade for Tarik Skubal? Breaking down the Tigers’ 7 best options https://t.co/A8Voi0qYmn via @NYTimes

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) June 1, 2026

"The Yankees are not going to trade top pitching prospects Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez, nor are they going to talk about infielders George Lombard Jr. or Dax Kilby for a rental," Bowden writes.

"However, they might consider dealing right-hander Ben Hess and outfielder Spencer Jones to land Skubal, especially if they believe they can sign Skubal long-term. Can you imagine an October rotation of Skubal, Gerrit Cole, Cam Schlittler and Max Fried?" Bowden adds.

Polarizing trade proposal for Skubal

On the surface, Bowden's not wrong. Adding Skubal to the Yankees' pitching staff would create a super-rotation that would seem to have the World Series written all over it.

But here's the rub: New York already has a super-rotation, especially when Fried (elbow surgery) and Clarke Schmidt (Tommy John surgery) return from the injured list.

Should Jones be considered trade bait?

Jones is the Yankees' top outfielder prospect and has the biggest bat down on the farm. Yes, he struggled in a cup of coffee this season in the Bronx (.167 batting average with two RBIs and a .426 OPS).

But the 2022 first-round pick is an Aaron Judge clone who clubbed 35 home runs last year while splitting the season at Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. We're talking about elite power here. Do you really want to give up that potential for a player who is no better than a short-term rental, since Skubal will be a free agent after the season? Imagine if the Yankees had traded Jones for two months of Juan Soto before he bolted for the Mets. That's what we're talking about here.

The Yankees can't afford to give up Spencer Jones for Tarik Skubal, who might not be around for the long haul. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Regardless, Bowden believes Jones should be used by the Yankees as trade bait.

"Jones has tremendous power and speed but also might strike out 200 times per year. It would be tough to deal Jones with his upside, but we are talking about Skubal, and we’re talking about the Yankees striving to win their first World Series since 2009," Bowden wrote.

While admiring the concept of the Yankees selling out to win the World Series, trading such a valued prospect as Jones for a rental player is risky at least, detrimental at most.

Latest Skubal trade rumors

As for the latest on Skubal, the New York Post's Jon Heyman has the scoop: "Rehab game probably next week, possibly two weeks from MLB game."

But SI's Tom Verducci doesn't thing a Skubal trade is imminent.

"Don’t get caught up in the overhyped buzz now. Give it time, folks. If Detroit gets to late July and thinks the forgiving AL still gives it a shot at the World Series, it plays out the year with Skubal," Verducci reports.

"If the Tigers remain too far out of the race, they are obligated to do their due diligence and see what trade package they can get.  That leaves above 50 games to be played before that question is answered," Verducci adds.

The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal agrees.

"(If) the Tigers decide to trade him, they likely will hold off as long as possible before the Aug. 3 deadline, allowing demand to build and Skubal to demonstrate he is back to his two-time Cy Young form," Rosenthal reports.

"Every contender will at least check in—yes, even the spendaholic, back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who might view the deadline as something close to last call. The next collective bargaining agreement will include either a salary cap, closing the sport’s Free Spending Saloon, or other payroll restrictions that would have a similarly sobering effect," Rosenthal adds.

In other words, it might take some time before a Skubal trade emerges, whether for the Yankees or anyone else.