Tarik Skubal is gone, and that changes the whole board.
With the top prize no longer available, teams hunting for rotation help as the 2026 MLB trade deadline hits Monday at 6 p.m. ET have to pivot fast. The market still has some real arms in it, though the list looks a lot different now that Skubal has been dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
One of the names drawing attention is George Kirby of the Seattle Mariners. Seattle already moved Luis Castillo, and there are reports the club could be open to moving Kirby as well.
He has been steady across five MLB seasons, with a sub-4.00 ERA in all but one year. And with Skubal off the board, his value may only have climbed.
Clay Holmes is another starter who could be on the move. Since shifting into the rotation, the New York Mets right-hander has shown he can handle the workload. He is also coming off a broken leg, and with free agency likely ahead if he opts out, the timing makes sense for a deal.
Reid Detmers stands out as one of the most intriguing lefties available. The Los Angeles Angels pitcher has piled up 145 strikeouts in 125 innings pitched, a number that makes him a major weapon for any club looking to add swing-and-miss stuff.
Freddy Peralta, also linked to the Mets in the rumor mill, hasn’t matched his monster 2025 season so far. Even so, he remains a dependable starter, and a change of scenery could be part of the appeal.
Kevin Gausman brings the kind of track record that still matters. The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander is 35 and carrying a 4.38 ERA this season, but he has been a front-line starter for years.
The Angels have another arm in Jose Soriano, whose 3.29 ERA could bring back a strong return if the team decides to tear things down.
Seattle may not be done, either. Emerson Hancock has been good in 2026, and while the Mariners would be thinning out their pitching depth if they moved Kirby too, Hancock would become a name to watch.
Foster Griffin has turned himself into one of the more interesting under-the-radar starters on the market. After struggling in the majors, going to Japan, and returning, he has delivered for the Washington Nationals with a 12-3 record and a 3.06 ERA.
Then there’s Casey Mize. If the Detroit Tigers decide to sell after a Skubal deal, Mize and his 2.70 ERA this year would fit the kind of aggressive teardown that can reshape a deadline in a hurry.
In Other News...
Mariners Surprise Deadline Move Creates A New Lineup Dilemma
The Mariners stayed active at the deadline by adding Taylor Ward to the outfield mix, a move that gives Seattle another established bat as it tries to sharpen the roster for the stretch run. In landing the Baltimore outfielder, the club also managed to avoid dipping into its top-30 prospect list, which makes the price point look cleaner than many deadline deals of this type.
Even so, the move creates a fresh lineup question for Seattle, since Ward is more than a simple depth add and now has to be fit into a group that already has established options. The outgoing package included Alex Hoppe, Harrison Kreiling and Brock Moore, and while none were among the organizations top-30 prospects, the trade still signals that the Mariners were willing to move on from pitching depth to address a more immediate need. [Read more 🡒]
Taylor Ward Just Raised A Bigger Mariners Outfield Question
Taylor Wards arrival gives the Mariners something they have been searching for, at least in theory: a more stable bat for an outfield group that has felt easy to shuffle and hard to trust. Seattle has been weighing whether to add offense or even make a bigger move involving Randy Arozarena, and Ward fits the kind of upgrade that can change the conversation quickly because he brings a steadier presence rather than another part-time fit.
The ripple effect is just as interesting as the acquisition itself. Arozarena still looms over any broader roster decision, but Ward also puts pressure on the role Rob Refsnyder has occupied, since Seattle now has another outfield option that can be used without leaning as heavily on platoon logic. For a club trying to balance immediate offense with future flexibility, the next move may say as much about how it views the rest of the season as the Ward deal did. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Deadline Decision Fans May Not Like
The Mariners already made one notable move ahead of the deadline, sending Luis Castillo out and bringing Taylor Ward into the mix, but they may not be done reshaping the roster. Their eye is now on a high-end bullpen addition, with Seattle showing interest in Padres reliever Mason Miller as the front office weighs how aggressively to chase help for the stretch run.
The complication is the cost. San Diego is believed to be asking for pitching prospect Kade Anderson, and that puts Seattle in a familiar spot for a contender trying to balance the present against the future. Anderson is viewed as close to the majors and could be in line for his debut this year, so the Mariners have to decide whether immediate relief help is worth parting with a pitcher they may not have to wait much longer to see. [Read more 🡒]