The Tarik Skubal trade chase has taken another turn, and this one brings the Phillies into the picture.
With the deadline closing in, Philadelphia has surfaced as a club to watch for the Tigers’ left-hander, according to MLB insider Jon Morosi. He wrote on X, “The Phillies are among several teams that scouted Tarik Skubal’s start last weekend.
Philly has lost 6 of 7. Scott Harris has traded 3 pitchers to the Phillies since arriving to Detroit: Soto, Lorenzen, Manning,”
That’s not the kind of team many expected to hear in the Skubal conversation. The Dodgers have already been tied to him, and the Yankees have also been viewed as a major contender.
The Braves could make sense too, given that they currently have only one reliable ace in their rotation. Still, the Phillies were not widely seen as part of the mix until now.
Philadelphia’s pitching profile helps explain why the idea is at least plausible. The Phillies are 11th in starting pitchers’ ERA, and while their rotation hasn’t been as overpowering as it has been in previous seasons, they still have four strong starters.
Aaron Nola’s 3-9 record and 5.61 ERA have dragged down that group. The bigger issue, though, is the bullpen, which ranks 22nd in ERA.
That’s the area many around the league expect the Phillies to target.
Of course, the biggest question is whether Detroit moves Skubal at all. The Tigers are 51-57 and fourth in the AL Central, but they’re also in a division where they trail the Chicago White Sox by five games. If they think a run is still there, they could hold onto their two-time AL Cy Young winner and shut down the trade buzz, at least for now.
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