The Los Angeles Dodgers may be the team to watch if the Detroit Tigers decide to listen on Tarik Skubal.
That’s the view of Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney and Katie Woo of The Athletic, who pointed to Los Angeles as a better fit than the Tampa Bay Rays, even though Tampa Bay has been mentioned as a dark horse in the Skubal chase. The Dodgers have the kind of prospect depth and financial muscle that can turn a major trade conversation into a real threat, and if they decide Skubal is the kind of arm that can help them chase a third straight World Series title, they have the means to go get him.
The Rays, though, are hardly sitting this one out in theory. They enter the trade deadline in a strong position, with the best record in the American League at 59-42. Tampa Bay leads the New York Yankees by 2.5 games in the AL East and sits seven games ahead of the Boston Red Sox.
That standing makes the case for reinforcements pretty straightforward. If the Rays want to lock down the top spot and strengthen their case as a legitimate World Series contender, Skubal would be the kind of addition that changes the conversation.
Tampa Bay usually doesn’t operate like a team that goes big for a rental pitcher, but it has done it when the fit was right. The Rays brought in Nelson Cruz in 2021, when he was an All-Star, to help their offense at designated hitter. And before Shohei Ohtani eventually left the Los Angeles Angels in free agency for the Dodgers, Tampa Bay made a deadline push for him and was willing to include Junior Caminero and Carson Williams.
That history is why the Rays can’t be dismissed here. They don’t chase rentals often, but they have shown they’ll make an aggressive move if they believe it improves their chances.
If Tampa Bay were to land Skubal, the rotation would suddenly look loaded. He would join All-Stars Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez and Shane McClanahan, giving the Rays one of the strongest starting staffs in baseball.
In Other News...
Tarik Skubal Just Created A Brutal New Question For Tigers Fans
Tarik Skubals latest comments have turned what should have been a straightforward health update into something far more uneasy for Tigers fans. The left-hander said he felt discomfort in his elbow as early as January, but did not get an MRI, leaving Detroit with a messy backdrop around one of its most important players and a reminder that the offseason can carry as much tension as the games themselves.
Skubal also made clear the issue was not only physical, pointing to the arbitration process as part of why he handled the situation the way he did. And with his relationship with the front office already strained since that hearing, the Tigers are now left to sort through a question that goes beyond one elbow and into the bigger trust gap between ace and organization. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans May Not Like What This Means For Max Clark
Max Clark keeps doing enough in Triple-A to stay in the conversation, but not enough to force the Tigers hand just yet. The top prospect has put together a solid line with power and speed, showing the kind of all-around profile that makes him such a tempting long-term answer in the outfield, even if the organization is still weighing the timing of his next step carefully.
For now, the more likely path is patience, with Detroit able to let the season breathe a little longer before making a move. Clark could still get there sooner if his production takes another jump or if the roster situation changes, but the current read is that the Tigers may prefer to wait until September unless circumstances push them in a different direction. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Face A Risky Deadline Question In Center Field
With the Tigers still in the thick of the playoff race, center field has become one of the more obvious places for a deadline upgrade. Detroit has gotten by with Matt Vierling and James Outman out there, but the position has not exactly looked settled, and that makes any credible option worth a closer look as the market starts to take shape.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. as a possible fit, a suggestion that makes some baseball sense even with the injury concerns attached to his season. Robert has long shown he can handle left-handed pitching, and for a club trying to patch a real need without boxing itself into a long commitment, that kind of profile is easy to understand, even if the price and the health questions still leave plenty unresolved. [Read more 🡒]