The Detroit Tigers are running out of time to decide what to do with Tarik Skubal, and the latest update suggests a deal is far from a sure thing.
According to MLB reporter Jon Morosi, “The Tigers have had preliminary discussions of prospect names with other clubs, as they seek to determine which teams - if any - will meet the high threshold to move Skubal,” MLB reporter Jon Morosi posted to X, formerly Twitter.
That lines up with the level of interest Skubal has drawn. As the trade deadline nears, teams with money to spend have been linked to the Tigers’ ace, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have been mentioned in recent days as the club making the strongest push.
Skubal’s performance is a big reason the market has been so loud. Even while dealing with an injury this season, he has put up a 2.79 ERA across 16 starts and has collected seven wins.
After his most recent outing, Skubal addressed the uncertainty around him with a calm, measured response.
“I want to live in the moment. There's a lot of stuff going on around me that I have no control in,” Skubal said at the time, per MLB.com.
“I try to be pretty present all the time. And when the fans get on their feet like that and give you a pretty good ovation, it's special.
It'll never not be special, and it's something I've always appreciated. And hopefully they feel the same way.
Hopefully they feel like I've given everything to the team, to the city, because I truly have.”
Detroit’s place in the standings only adds to the pressure. The Tigers sit fourth in the American League Central at 52-58, and the front office has to sort out Skubal’s future quickly with the deadline set for Monday.
For now, the Tigers still have him in the rotation. Detroit is scheduled to play the Athletics on Saturday.
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