Tarik Skubal's days with the Detroit Tigers could be numbered.
There's a growing belief around baseball that the Tigers will move Skubal before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Detroit has gone 4-21 since Skubal was sidelined with an elbow injury that required NanoNeedle surgery. The two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner and impending free agent could return in the next few weeks thanks to the innovative procedure, as he's scheduled to throw another simulated game Monday.
However, the Tigers (22-38) are tied with the Colorado Rockies for MLB's worst record entering June. Detroit already sits 11.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the AL Central lead and seven contests out of the final wild-card spot.
The Tigers will likely hold on to Skubal as close to the deadline as possible, aiming to maximize trade interest and show that the left-hander can stay healthy following the surgery, Rosenthal notes.
Deciding against trading Skubal would be unwise if Detroit isn't close to contending for a playoff spot. The 29-year-old is expected to be the top free-agent prize during the offseason, demanding a historic long-term contract that could be out of the Tigers' comfort zone. As a result, retaining draft-pick compensation through a qualifying offer would be a small consolation prize for losing arguably the top starter in baseball.
Contenders could also be wary of making a move for Skubal, as he'd likely be a rental for a few months and owed the remainder of his $32-million salary for 2026. Additionally, a team acquiring Skubal midseason wouldn't be eligible to extend him a qualifying offer in the offseason.
Skubal owns a 2.70 ERA with 0.95 WHIP and 45 strikeouts over 43 1/3 innings (seven starts) this year.
