Tarik Skubal has become the kind of pitcher franchises build around—an ace with electric stuff, elite command, and the competitive edge that defines great rotations. But in an era where superstar pitchers are increasingly central to blockbuster trades, the Detroit Tigers find themselves facing a question that once seemed unthinkable: if push truly comes to shove, what would it take to trade Tarik Skubal?
Across MLB front offices, agents, and scouting departments, one answer has surfaced repeatedly: the Tigers should only listen to one kind of trade package—one that returns a franchise-altering haul, not merely talent, but a foundation for the next decade. Anything less would be malpractice.
Executives around the league understand why. Skubal isn’t just a frontline starter—he’s one of the most valuable arms in baseball. He’s young, entering his prime, under team control, and statistically ascending into the top tier of American League pitchers. His combination of velocity, swing-and-miss capability, and durability places him in a category that rarely becomes available.
Because of this, insiders say the Tigers should only entertain a deal centered around three pillars:
a top-five MLB prospect, another top-20 prospect, and a young, controllable big-league bat capable of hitting in the heart of the order.
Anything short of that would be a loss.
The logic is straightforward. Replacing Skubal’s production is almost impossible, and Detroit’s rebuild has reached the stage where subtracting stars is far riskier than adding them. General manager Scott Harris has carefully assembled a pipeline of young pitching talent, but as many around the game admit, prospects are far from guarantees. Trading a proven ace must return foundational certainty.
Several contenders have the theoretical pieces to make such an offer. Teams like the Dodgers, Orioles, and Braves possess the kind of prospect capital that could spark real conversations. But even then, the price is so steep that some executives privately admit they would hesitate to make a deal—even for a pitcher as dominant as Skubal.
The Tigers, for their part, are operating from a position of strength. Skubal is the anchor of their staff, a clubhouse presence beloved by teammates, and a symbol of the franchise’s rise. Detroit does not need to trade him. They do not want to trade him. But they are also realists. Baseball history shows that no player is untouchable if another team offers enough to reshape an organization.
Still, as Novembers turn into spring trainings and speculation swirls, the consistent message from within Comerica Park has been that Detroit will not be bullied into a decision. The Tigers are not selling low. They are not giving away an ace just to accelerate a rebuild already gaining traction.
If a team wants Tarik Skubal, it must overwhelm them.
A rival assistant GM summed it up best: “If Skubal ever moves, it will go down as one of the biggest trades of the decade. Detroit knows exactly what he’s worth.”
For now, the Tigers hold the power. The ace is theirs. The future is theirs. And unless the perfect package arrives—a package fit for a franchise cornerstone—Tarik Skubal isn’t going anywhere.
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