MLB Expert Gives Argument On Why Trading Ace is an Idiotic Idea
The Detroit Tigers might have the toughest decision in baseball to make over the next week. If the team trades Tarik Skubal, not only would they be trading the best player at the deadline, but they'd be looking at a generational type of package in return.
Prospects are always enticing, but as always, moving Skubal doesn't guarantee that any player they receive will be even half of what he currently is. It's why teams will trade away nearly any prospect in baseball for the chance to land him.
The only reason why the Tigers should even think about moving Skubal is if they don't believe they'll be able to re-sign him when he hits free agency in 2027. He's represented by Scott Boras, so they can almost guarantee that he'll be looking for the top dollar.
If Detroit comes in with a $300 million offer and the Colorado Rockies come in with $310 million, it's likely that he'll be headed to the Rockies. That's, of course, if history repeats itself with Boras.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic outlined why trading Skubal doesn't make much sense, but did acknowledge the chances of him signing an extension before 2027.
"Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, so a contract extension is unlikely. No matter. The Tigers play in the improving but still relatively weak AL Central.
"With Skubal, they stand a chance of returning to the postseason before he becomes a free agent. Without him, they would remain on the same hamster wheel they’ve been riding for nearly a decade."
There have been times in the past when the Tigers spent money on their players. Not too long ago, they had a top-five payroll in baseball. However, they haven't exactly handed out many contracts in recent years, which does pose some worries about what they're going to do when it comes time to pay the left-hander.
If Detroit isn't going to pay a clear ace who just started an All-Star Game and has a 2.34 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 123.0 innings pitched, then they'll probably never pay anyone.
This decision will be a tough one for multiple reasons, but it's tough to say that trading him is the right one. The Tigers aren't as far away from contending as it might seem, and having Skubal helps with that more than anyone else.
If they were to add some players with Skubal and the young talent they have in the offseason, there's a good argument that they'd be the best team in the AL Central. That should be the goal.
JON CONAHAN