Tarik Skubal’s free agency is almost here, and the clock may be ticking faster than most teams would like.
After the Dodgers were bounced from the postseason, Skubal stayed quiet about a return to Los Angeles. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said the club will keep talking with Skubal and Scott Boras, but the decision, as he put it, comes down to what’s best for Skubal and his family.
That’s the standard dance when a star reaches free agency. And while Los Angeles remains the heavy favorite in the picture being painted around Skubal, that hasn’t stopped other clubs from lining up as possible suitors.
The Tigers have shown up on plenty of “teams to watch” lists, though Detroit fans have every reason to keep expectations in check. With so much money coming off the books this offseason, a run at Skubal might not be impossible - just highly unlikely.
Then there’s the bigger backdrop hanging over the whole market: a looming lockout. Baseball is heading toward a Dec. 1 CBA expiration, and players like Skubal could feel pressure to get a deal done before then rather than risk seeing their leverage change once the new league landscape arrives.
If anyone can navigate that kind of moment, it’s Boras. He said, “For many teams, I can make an argument it's clearly best for them to sign players currently, before the (new) CBA, than it is after...”
That’s the kind of line that suggests this won’t drag on forever. Boras knows the leverage game as well as anyone, and if Skubal is going to move quickly, teams interested in him will need to act with urgency.
For the Tigers, that still doesn’t change the math much. They may be connected to the rumor mill, but they don’t appear ready to go toe-to-toe with clubs like the Dodgers or Mets, and there’s been no sign they intend to. If Skubal is going to have a new home soon, the early money says Detroit won’t be the one writing the biggest check.
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For Detroit, the intrigue is obvious. Kwan has been a problem in October and a steady presence for the Guardians, even if his career numbers against the Tigers are lower than his overall track record suggests. Nothing has been confirmed, and Kwan recently sounded upbeat about Clevelands direction, but his name alone gives Tigers fans a reason to keep one eye on the Guardians offseason. [Read more 🡒]
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Hicks path has been especially notable for Tigers fans to revisit. Detroit acquired him in a trade, then lost him in the Rule 5 draft before he eventually landed with the Rays and worked his way into a meaningful role in their playoff run. Even without a headline-grabbing bat every night, his steady presence has made him one of the more interesting ex-Tigers in this October story, and it leaves a little more room for debate over what might have been. [Read more 🡒]