Getty Jackson Holliday of the Baltimore Orioles.
The Baltimore Orioles are in the market for starting pitching ahead of MLB’s July 30 trade deadline. They’ve been tied to All-Star ace Tarik Skubal.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post drew up a trade proposal between Baltimore and the Detroit Tigers for MLB Network on July 23.
In blockbuster fashion, Sherman has the Orioles sending MLB’s number one prospect to the Tigers in exchange for Skubal.
Baltimore receives: Skubal, Jason Foley
Detroit receives: Holliday, Heston Kjerstad
Skubal, the No. 1 pitcher for the Tigers, is among the best starters in the majors, pitching 123 innings in 2024, throwing 146 strikeouts and holding a 2.34 ERA.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported talks between the two teams on July 21. “The Detroit Tigers are engaged in talks with the Baltimore Orioles and Dodgers for Skubal,” Nightengale wrote.
The Orioles are down three starters to season-ending injury. They need all the help they can get, despite their 60-38 record.
But would they move the best prospect in baseball?
Roch Kubatko: ‘The Orioles Aren’t Dealing Holliday’
Holliday’s name is continually being mentioned in regards to a Skubal trade, because as Nightengale wrote, it would take a massive offer to pry him from Detroit.
“It’s a longshot that Skubal will be traded, but the Tigers are listening, and have told teams they will move him only if they are overwhelmed by an offer,” Nightengale continued.
Count Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports among the doubtful that Baltimore would deal Holliday.
“Every seller is memorizing Norfolk’s roster,” Kubatko wrote on July 23. “And the Orioles aren’t dealing Holliday. His name can appear in every article and I still don’t see him moving from the organization. How could he go from baseball’s No. 1 prospect and being untouchable over the winter to a chip in July? Because he went 2-for-34 barely past his 20th birthday? Get real.”
The former first overall pick had a disappointing 10-game stint with the Orioles, yes. But Holliday was being mentioned as a potential impact player for the season’s second half, as recently as July 13.
“I think both of those players have a very good chance of contributing heavily to the 2024 Orioles, and I could see them doing it at the same time too,” General manager Mike Elias said, according to MLB.com’s Jake Rill.
Holliday is slashing .270/.440/.480 with 8 home runs and 28 RBIs since returning to the Triple-A affiliate Norfolk Tides in April.
Ken Rosenthal Cautions Orioles Against Holliday Trade
In a question and answer column for Sportskeeda on July 23, insider Ken Rosenthal told Dan Connolly he wouldn’t deal the 20-year-old for any pitcher.
“No,” Rosenthal replied. “The reason I will say that is because none of the starting pitchers who are available are good enough for a Jackson Holliday trade. Even Tarik Skubal. Skubal has two-and-a-half years left of control versus six years of Jackson Holliday, who might be an All-Star position player.”
Rosenthal cited potential health issues as a precaution against going all-in on such a deal.
“Skubal also has health concerns, like any pitcher,” Rosenthal continued. “There’s no question he’d be an upgrade to the rotation in Baltimore, but, I’m sorry, I ride Jackson Holliday as my starting second baseman going forward.”
Holliday’s 10-game stint this season should be no argument against his MLB future. But if Baltimore feels a pitcher like Skubal is the missing piece to their World Series’ chances, they’ll have to consider it.