Report: Tigers Open To Trading 'Just About Everyone,' Including Tarik Skubal
With the trade deadline approaching, the Detroit Tigers are open for business.
One team official told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal that the last-place Tigers are willing to listen to offers for "just about everyone." That includes left-handed starter Tarik Skubal.
Skubal would be an intriguing addition to the trade block before the August 2 deadline. Just 25 years old, he has already shown plenty of promise and won't be a free agent until 2027. Skubal owns a 3.88 ERA and 2.93 FIP over 106.2 innings this season. He has also struck out 25.5 percent of the batters he's faced while walking a personal best 6.2 percent.
Despite strong overall numbers, Skubal has been a bit streaky this year. His third big league campaign got off to a fantastic start, as Skubal recorded a 2.15 ERA over his first 10 outings. His next six starts weren't as stellar; Skubal had a 7.80 ERA over that span. Skubal has cleaned things up in his three starts since then, allowing six earned runs over 18 innings between July 8 and July 21.
Skubal's next start is on Wednesday against the Padres.
Skubal has pitched in 58 big league games, including 55 starts, since debuting in 2020. He owns a 4.31 ERA with 312 strikeouts and 85 walks over 288 career innings.
It would take a lot to land a young, talented pitcher with years of control like Skubal. However, the Tigers could become opportunistic if desperate teams fail to land Cincinnati's Luis Castillo or Oakland's Frankie Montas, the top two arms on the market.
Even if the Tigers hang onto Skubal, the expectation is that they will be active sellers over the next week. Veteran relievers Andrew Chafin, Michael Fulmer and Joe Jiménez should attract suitors, as should All-Star closer Gregory Soto. Infielder Jonathan Schoop and outfielder Robbie Grossman could also spark interest.
