The Detroit Tigers are staring down a difficult choice with Tarik Skubal, and the asking price sounds just as steep as you’d expect for a pitcher of his caliber.
With the 2026 MLB trade deadline set for Aug. 3, the market is still wide open. Skubal sits near the center of it all. Detroit’s playoff chances are still alive, but Fangraphs gives them just 36.1% odds, and that leaves the Tigers weighing whether to push in, pull back, or try to do a little of both.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Tigers’ thinking on a possible Skubal deal is clear: they would want an MLB-ready starting pitcher with team control, plus high-end prospects. As the report put it, “The way they would do it, according to two rival executives briefed on the Tigers’ thinking, is by trading Skubal for a controllable starting pitcher plus quality prospects.”
That kind of return would sting in the short term. Skubal is the kind of arm that can swing a series, and if Detroit moved him, it would take a major hit to its chances this season.
But the long view is part of the equation too. He’s set to become a free agent after the season, and if the Tigers keep him, they risk losing him for only a compensation pick in the 2027 MLB Draft.
The left-hander’s numbers explain why the price is so high. He has thrown 82.2 innings this season with a 2.83 ERA, 2.85 FIP, 0.93 WHIP and a 30.5% strikeout rate while walking just 3.4% of hitters. He’s also a back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, which makes him one of the most coveted names on the board.
That kind of talent tends to create a feeding frenzy, and teams could be bidding not just for the boost Skubal would bring, but also to keep him off the mound in October.
If there’s one club with the firepower to get involved, it’s the Dodgers. They may also be the team that needs him least.
Los Angeles already has Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani leading the rotation, with Blake Snell expected back before the season ends. Tyler Glasnow could also return, though his situation is less certain. Justin Wrobleski has strengthened his case for a playoff rotation spot, and Roki Sasaki impressed in his last outing.
By the time October arrives, the Dodgers won’t need to carry a full six-man rotation, which gives them the freedom to simply choose their best four starters at that point.
Still, the fit is there if they want to chase it. One possible package could include Emmet Sheehan, who would satisfy Detroit’s desire for a controllable MLB starting pitcher, plus one of Los Angeles’ top outfield prospects and whatever else it takes to finish the deal.
Then again, the Dodgers could decide their current group is good enough and focus on smaller additions, like catching depth, especially with Will Smith’s return uncertain.
There’s also the possibility that Los Angeles becomes a seller in some form. The Dodgers have done that before, including when they traded Mitch White to Toronto and Matt Beaty to San Diego.
In Other News...
Dodgers Expected To Push Deadline Aggression Even Further
The Dodgers have spent years operating like a club that treats the trade deadline as a chance to fine-tune a contender, but rival executives now think this summer could be even more ambitious. According to reporting cited by USA Todays Bob Nightengale, Los Angeles is expected to keep pushing for major additions even with a roster already built to win, with the front office believed to be eyeing help across several spots rather than settling for a single move.
The list of possible needs is broad enough to tell you how high the bar is in Chavez Ravine: rotation help, bullpen depth, a catcher while Will Smith is out, second base and another outfielder all have been mentioned as areas the Dodgers could address. The bigger question is not whether they will be active, but how far they are willing to go in a market where their motivation is tied to one more historic run. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Suddenly Have Three Deadline Needs They Cant Ignore
The Dodgers deadline picture is starting to look less like a luxury-shopping trip and more like a roster maintenance job. Injuries and uneven production have left them with a few obvious pressure points, and the front office is already being pushed to think about help behind the plate, in the bullpen and on the left side of the pitching mix before the market gets too thin.
One name drawing attention is a familiar type of target: a catcher who can also give the lineup some needed balance against left-handed pitching while the club waits for its regular options to settle in. On the mound, the Dodgers are also weighing whether to add another right-handed arm with closing experience and a lefty who can help bridge the gap between the rotation and the late innings, which says plenty about how many different ways this roster can still be tested over the next few months. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Linked To Deadline Arm As Pitching Need Keeps Growing
The Dodgers are still looking for pitching help as the August 3 trade deadline approaches, and the need has only become more obvious with the way the staff has been stretched. One name being floated around the market is veteran right-hander Clay Holmes, whose availability gives Los Angeles another possible path to add depth without chasing the biggest arm on the board.
Holmes has barely pitched this season because of a fractured right fibula in mid-May, but he has started a rehab assignment and remains a flexible fit for a club that values options. If the Dodgers do get involved, the appeal is not just innings, but the kind of swing role that could matter in both the rotation and the bullpen once October planning starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]