The Cubs are doing what contenders do this time of year: checking every lane, including the one that leads to the biggest name on the board.
According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, Chicago has at least considered a push for Tarik Skubal as it sorts through rotation options. The Cubs have been clear about wanting starting pitching, and while they’d prefer a controllable arm, they’re not shutting the door on a rental if the upside is big enough.
Skubal is as big as it gets.
He took the ball Wednesday and may have made his final start in a Tigers uniform, throwing 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball with six strikeouts. He breezed through six scoreless frames before the seventh got messy. Kyle Finnegan and Drew Anderson couldn’t protect what had been a 7-0 lead, and Detroit ended up losing 10-9 in 12 innings.
That loss dropped the Tigers to 51-58, seven games under .500, after they also lost two of three to Baltimore and the final two games of last week’s four-game set with Kansas City. They’re off tomorrow before heading to West Sacramento for a three-game series against the A’s, a stretch that feels like a must-win even if a sweep still might not be enough to keep them from selling.
Detroit sits fourth in the AL Central, 5.5 games behind the White Sox and 4.5 back in the Wild Card race. The problem is the traffic jam ahead of them.
They’d need to jump Minnesota, Cleveland and Chicago in the division or five teams in the Wild Card chase. They need to play at a 95-win pace just to finish at .500, and even reaching 84 wins would require a 33-20 finish, which is a 101-win pace from here on out.
The Tigers may believe they’re better than their record, but that ugly May has left them with almost no room to breathe.
Skubal’s case is the one that makes everyone pay attention. He’s the two-time defending Cy Young winner, still putting together an elite season even after undergoing an elbow scope in early May.
He’s one of the three best pitchers in the sport, maybe the best of all. No one else on the trade block would swing a contender’s 2026 World Series odds more.
And with a record-breaking pitching contract looming two months away, an extension is basically off the table. This would be a rental, but one that could command a massive return for what is likely just one playoff run.
Chicago’s need is obvious. Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga are the top two starters right now.
Edward Cabrera is expected back next month from a hamstring strain, though he comes with a long injury history and hasn’t pitched as well as hoped even when healthy this season. Ben Brown’s return from a neck strain is still up in the air.
Jameson Taillon was designated for assignment this week, which opened a rotation spot, and Javier Assad will make a spot start tomorrow against St. Louis before likely sliding back to relief if the Cubs land another starter.
That leaves the Cubs weighing a real question: do they go after the best rental arm in years when they’re probably headed for a three-game Wild Card Series anyway? They’re six games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central, and FanGraphs gives them a 14% shot at winning the division, a number that frankly feels high. Skubal would obviously change the feel of a Game 1, but any three-game series still comes down to the kind of coin flip Chicago may already be staring at.
The Brewers, Rays and Dodgers have also been connected to Skubal, and all three are in first place with a path to a first-round bye. Most contenders are expected to at least check in with Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris over the next few days. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last night that more teams had started reaching out after Detroit dropped the opener against Baltimore on Monday.
In Other News...
Tigers Got A Jolt From The Last Player Fans Expected
Eduardo Valencia was back with the Tigers in a backup catching role after Kerry Carpenter landed on the injured list and Jake Rogers was released, and the reunion could hardly have started any better. Detroit rolled to a 14-0 win over Baltimore, with Valencia delivering the kind of unexpected spark that can change the feel of a game before it even settles in.
Valencia finished 4-for-5 with four RBIs, and the Tigers kept the pressure on all night by scoring in every inning. Troy Melton did his part too, working seven scoreless innings with five strikeouts to help turn the game into one of those lopsided wins that can still say something about a club's depth and timing. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Hold The Deadline Decision Fans Have Waited On
Tarik Skubal was still taking the ball for Detroit this week, which tells you everything about where the Tigers stand as the trade deadline closes in. The club is staring at the kind of fork every contender hopes to reach and every front office dreads, with a chance to add help for a postseason push or to turn valuable arms into future pieces.
Skubal is the headliner, but he is not the only name in the conversation. Casey Mize, Kenley Jansen and Jack Flaherty all sit in the mix as possible trade chips if Detroit decides to sell, and the fact that Skubal just pitched for the Tigers suggests the decision is not yet locked in. For a team trying to balance present tense and long-term value, the next move will say a lot about how aggressively it sees this season. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Rumors Just Put A Mets Rotation Arm In Play
The trade deadline is starting to take shape around Tampa Bay, and the Rays are again being tied to impact talent as they try to reinforce a roster that already owns the best record in the American League. Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the Rays are looking at several possible upgrades, including Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto and New York Mets starting pitcher Freddy Peralta, a sign they may be aiming high as July approaches.
Tampa Bays strong farm system gives it the kind of prospect capital that can keep it in the mix for major moves, and that alone makes the Rays worth watching over the next few days. For a Tigers team that has seen Tarik Skubals name surface in the rumor mill, the broader message is clear enough: Tampa Bay is not waiting around, and it is willing to explore the market for players who could matter in October. [Read more 🡒]