Proposed Trade Would Send Tigers Ace to Yankees for Massive Haul
The Detroit Tigers are becoming one of the hottest teams to watch in all of baseball ahead of the MLB trade deadline next week.
Obviously, the big name floating around in rumors is superstar starting pitcher Tarik Skubal. It would take a king's ransom to acquire him for any team interest, but he is garnering that interest.
A few of the top contenders in baseball are rumored to have interest in Skubal. One of them happens to be the New York Yankees.
Bleacher Report recently took a look at potential trade destinations for the Tigers' ace ahead of the deadline. The Yankees were listed at No. 3.
Along with listing New York as a potential trade suitor for Skubal, they also offered up a potential blockbuster trade idea that would make that trade happen.
In their proposed trade, Detroit would send Skubal to the Yankees in exchange for Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones, and Ben Rice. If that kind of trade offer is made, the Tigers would have to seriously consider it.
All three of those prospects would be elite additions. Dominguez is ranked No. 1 in the New York farm system, Jones is ranked No. 2, and Rice is ranked No. 5.
New York would be giving up a massive part of their future to acquire Skubal. However, he would be the piece that could power them from being contenders to being champions. That would make the price worth it.
During the 2024 MLB season thus far, Skubal has started in 20 games for the Tigers. He has compiled an 11-3 record to go along with a 2.34 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP, a 6.6 K/BB ratio, and 123.0 innings pitched.
Those numbers are exactly why the Yankees would be willing to offer such a trade package to get him.
Detroit needs to figure out a way to acquire talent and get back to winning. They have been unable to do so through the MLB Draft consistently. Making this trade would bring them three players close to being MLB ready or already MLB ready.
That isn't to say that this trade would make the Tigers a contender, but it would move them much closer to winning. Even though they would lose a superstar pitcher, they would acquire offensive pieces that could end up forming an elite lineup in the near future.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about Skubal. New York may not end up making this aggressive of an offer, but if they do, Detroit should pull the trigger.
EVAN MASSEY