Dodgers 'Interested' In Preparing Trade Package for Coveted Detroit Tigers Ace
The MLB trade deadline is now just days away and while many teams remain in contention and the next nine games will determine their fate, the Detroit Tigers are not one of them.
Despite sitting with a 47-50 record, a record that would have them in contention in most of the divisions in baseball, the American League Central is not one of them. They are currently 12 games back for the division lead and seven back from the final Wild Card slot.
That means the Tigers are all but likely to sell and reload for 2025 at this year's July 30 MLB trade deadline.
But not all is lost for Detroit as they have potentially the most coveted trade piece on the market in ace pitcher Tarik Skubal. For weeks Skubal's name has been rumored to be on the move.
Now, Sports Illustrated legend Tom Verducci reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams that are not only interested but are interested in creating an enticing package for the Tigers.
However, according to that same report, it appears unlikely that Detroit will actually move Skubal but this time of year is weird. Especially when you have a team like the Dodgers knocking on your door with an enticing offer.
But Skubal has 2.5 years of team control left and this season has posted a 2.41 ERA with a miniscule 0.879 WHIP in 116.0 innings pitched. The truest defintion of an ace. And he's homegrown.
Considering the volatility of the AL Central season to season, Detroit very well could sneak into a postseason slot a year early in 2025, much like the 2023 Texas Rangers.
But that won't be a possibility if the team moves Skubal, something the Tigers front office is well aware of. So it all comes down to if the front office believes they contend in the next two seasons or if Los Angeles' or another team's offer is too good to pass up.
With pitching at a premium these days, especially when it comes to true ace production, Detroit very well may be better off holding on to Skubal and hoping to punch above their weight in 2025. A player like Skubal is hard to come by, even more so when he comes out of your own development system.
A tough decision lies ahead for Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris on July 30.
KADE KISTNER