The market for Tarik Skubal is already taking shape, and the list is a strong one.
If the Detroit Tigers decide to move their ace before Monday’s deadline, the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers are among the teams in the hunt, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers are also keeping tabs on the left-hander’s status.
Detroit’s asking price has reportedly been set at a controllable young pitcher plus prospects, a steep return for a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber. That’s the kind of package that tells you exactly how highly the Tigers value him, even with the deadline clock ticking.
Skubal has made it clear he would prefer not to be dealt. Still, the Tigers are four games out of a wild-card spot in the American League, and the situation is complicated by his contract status. The 29-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent, and he signed a one-year, $32-million deal through arbitration in February after what were reportedly contentious negotiations with the club.
Even with the uncertainty, Skubal’s value is obvious. He would be the top free agent on the market this winter, and he is expected to command a long-term deal wherever he lands.
On the field, he has been as dominant as ever when healthy. Skubal missed time this season because of an elbow issue, but he has still put up a 2.70 ERA across 15 appearances. He also led all AL pitchers in WAR, ERA, and FIP in both 2024 and 2025.
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Peralta would come with the kind of short-term urgency that often defines deadline deals, since he is headed for free agency after this season. Neto, by contrast, would be the sort of controlled addition that can reshape a roster well beyond October, with team control running through 2029. For Tampa Bay, the appeal is obvious, but the real question is how far the Rays are willing to go to chase both present help and future stability in the same market. [Read more 🡒]