The MLB trade deadline is closing in, and Tarik Skubal sits right at the center of the noise.
The Detroit Tigers are still weighing what to do with their ace, and the chatter around the league has only made a deal feel more and more possible. Skubal is set to reach free agency after the season, which is a big reason a trade is being viewed as a realistic outcome. Detroit is 50-57 overall, six games behind in the AL Central and four games out of an AL Wild Card spot, and the team has also been scuffling lately.
If Skubal does move, the Dodgers are the team most often tied to him. That’s hardly a shock.
Los Angeles has been connected to plenty of marquee names, and Skubal is no exception. But they are not alone.
The Brewers are in the mix, the Rays are reportedly interested according to Robert Murray of FanSided, and the Yankees could also get involved.
The Dodgers’ appeal is obvious. They do not necessarily need Skubal, but they could still chase him anyway. Los Angeles has the kind of prospect depth that can absorb a major deal, even if the club is also known for spending heavily in free agency.
Cleveland is looking at the deadline from a different angle. The Guardians need help on offense and in the bullpen, and the idea there is simple: add a bat or two and a reliever or two. Going all in on trades is something Cleveland must strongly consider before the deadline.
Out in San Diego, there is a different kind of decision looming. Recent word around the league is that the Padres may consider keeping Mason Miller.
AJ Preller wants to keep the club in position to compete, and moving Miller would work against that goal. A run at the NL West is basically off the table, but the Padres still have a shot to push for a National League Wild Card spot.
Pittsburgh is also expected to be active, though maybe not in the way some expected. Multiple people with knowledge of the situation have said the Pirates are expected to buy before the deadline, but how aggressive they’ll be remains unclear.
They’ve been struggling for a while, so jumping back into buying mode is notable. Still, they currently hold the final NL Wild Card spot, with several teams close behind them, and a meaningful upgrade may be necessary.
Minnesota rounds out the picture. Multiple reports say the Twins are not expected to trade Byron Buxton or Joe Ryan this season.
The Twins are just one game back of an AL Wild Card spot and three games behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Ryan Jeffers, though, is still being discussed as a possible trade piece, and he has been linked to the Yankees.
The Twins may wait until the final days before the deadline to decide whether to move him.
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