The Tarik Skubal deal is looking better and better for the Detroit Tigers.
What seemed like a painful sell-off at the time has turned into a trade that now carries a very different kind of shine, especially after the Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated from the NLCS and ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reported on the uncertainty hanging over Skubal’s future. With the looming MLB lockout on December 1, Gonzalez said, "it would be really difficult for the Dodgers to justify signing Skubal to a massive deal before knowing what MLB's economic model will look like."
That matters because it puts real doubt around whether the Dodgers can keep Skubal around long term. If they can’t, he could hit free agency and wind up somewhere else - possibly even back with the Tigers, who still need starting pitching. And if that happens, Detroit would have pulled off the rarest kind of move: getting a strong return at the deadline and still having a path to Skubal later.
The Tigers landed Zyhir Hope, Brady Smith, and River Ryan in the trade. That kind of haul doesn’t need all three players to become stars to pay off. Even one quality big-leaguer would make the deal look worthwhile, no matter where Skubal ends up next.
The bigger point, though, is what the Dodgers got out of the swap. They spent a fortune to bring Skubal in, only to get about two-and-a-half months of work before falling short of the World Series and not even winning a game in the NLCS. For a team chasing a three-peat, that’s a brutal return.
So even if Skubal’s next move is still up in the air, the verdict on this trade is getting easier to see. The Tigers came out ahead. What was unpopular in the moment now looks like the right call.
In Other News...
Tigers May Finally Have A Real Opening To Bring Skubal Back
Tarik Skubals future has become one of those rare offseason storylines that can actually make Detroit feel like a real player in a market it usually has to navigate carefully. The left-hander, now with the Dodgers, has made it clear he is open to a return to the Tigers, the organization that developed him, and that alone gives Detroit a thread worth following as the team looks for ways to stay relevant in the pitching market.
What gives the Tigers some hope is the timing around the Dodgers and the broader uncertainty hanging over MLB economics. Industry insiders believe Los Angeles may be reluctant to rush into a long-term extension, and that could create a window for another club to make its case. Detroit is viewed as a possible contender if it decides to push hard enough financially, but whether that opening turns into anything real will come down to how aggressive the Tigers are willing to be in a complicated free-agent landscape. [Read more 🡒]
Zach McKinstry Just Put The Tigers In An Interesting Spot
Zach McKinstrys value to the Tigers has never been limited to one spot, and now that versatility is getting rewarded on a bigger stage. He was nominated for the Utility-Man Gold Glove Award in 2026 after another season of moving all over the diamond, including time in right field and across the infield, while continuing to give Detroit quality defense wherever it needed him most. Statcast has him 18th in MLB in fielding run value, a reminder that the profile is backed up by more than just eye test.
For the Tigers, the timing makes this especially interesting because McKinstry is entering his final arbitration year before free agency. He was already on the Gold Glove ballot once before, in 2023, but this nomination comes with a little more weight attached to it since a win could strengthen his case in salary talks. Detroit has leaned on his flexibility, and now it has to wait and see whether that same do-it-all skill set comes with an award to match. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Add Respected Former Catcher To Key Staff Role
The Tigers have added a familiar baseball mind to their staff, bringing in former major league catcher Martn Maldonado as their quality control coach. It is the kind of hire that fits the way A.J. Hinch has often valued experience and communication, and Maldonado arrives with a strong background from his years behind the plate, including time playing under Hinch with the Astros.
Maldonado retired in October and briefly moved into a special assistant role with the Braves, but his next step already had another layer to it. Along with his new assignment in Detroit, he is expected to manage a team in the Puerto Rican Winter League, a reminder that even after his playing career ended, his baseball calendar has stayed full. [Read more 🡒]