Two More Pieces of Yankees Pitching News Make Tarik Skubal Trade Less Desirable

The New York Yankees have been rumored as a potential trade partner for the Detroit Tigers if they want to move two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (36) is taken out of the game by manager Aaron Boone (17) during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Another day, another reason to explain why the New York Yankees should pass on trading for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, who's getting closer to return from elbow surgery.

This time, it's positive news about the Yankees' pitching staff that suggests trading for Skubal is an unnecessary risk.

The first bit of news came Tuesday from YES Network's Jack Curry.

"Carlos Lagrange is being shifted to the bullpen at AAA. The Yankees always believed the hard-throwing RHP could boost the bullpen this year. So this is a major step in that direction. Get ready to see 103 MPH in the Bronx," Curry wrote.

"The potential of Carlos Lagrange moving to the bullpen has been discussed by the front office/player development over the last several weeks," according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, per MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.

Lagrange to the bullpen makes sense

Lagrange is one of the Yankees' top pitching prospects. MLB Pipeline reports he's the club's No. 4 prospect overall while ESPN's Kiley McDaniel says the right-hander has moved up from No. 4 to No. 2 overall on his list.

MLB Pipeline projects Lagrange as a front-line starting pitcher. But the rotation already is stacked with Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. Plus Max Fried is expected back soon from the IL.

Given that, and the Yankees' less-than-overwhelming relief work, putting Lagrange in the bullpen, at least for the short term, makes a lot of sense and would give New York another elite power arm on the staff.

Mar 18, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Lagrange (84) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

"Lagrange stands out most with a fastball that parks at 97-99 mph and peaks at 103 with carry and armside run. But he's also capable of missing bats with three secondary pitches that can be devastating at times. He relies heavily on a sweeping mid-80s slider, though his upper-80s cutter and low-90s changeup with depth and fade actually were more effective in 2025," MLB Pipeline noted.

Positive news on Schmidt

On top of that development, there is positive news on former top pitching prospect Clarke Schmidt.

"Schmidt, rehabbing from (Tommy John) surgery, expects to begin throwing to live hitters later this month," the Bergen Record's Pete Caldera reported Tuesday.

So you have Schmidt expected back for the stretch run, giving the Yankees a rotation with five potential aces. And you have the club's top pitching prospect shoring up the team's leaky bullpen. So why trade some of the club's top prospects for Skubal, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, making him nothing more than a short-term rental? That's just inviting another Juan Soto disaster by the front office.

Latest on Skubal's elbow rehab

As for Skubal, MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that if the 29-year-old southpaw reports no issues following Monday's simulated game, Skubal could be in line for a rehab start this weekend with Triple-A Toledo.

“I don’t know the plan yet," Skubal said, per Beck. “But if I’m going to get on game action soon, I just need to do some PFP and just get a feel for getting the ball, throwing the ball to first, throwing the ball to second, all the little things that get overlooked. When you don’t do the small things right, it can make a big difference in the game.”

Beck reports that Skubal threw 64 pitches (45 for strikes) in his simulated game. According to Beck, if the left-hander makes his rehab start in a few days, that lines him up for a potential return to the Tigers' rotation by the end of next week.