The era of Tarik Skubal with the Detroit Tigers came to a close earlier this season when the club traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a package that included three prospects.
Skubal joined a stacked Dodgers club that had their sights set on earning a third straight World Series title, but those dreams were dashed by the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept them out of the National League Championship Series.
Skubal will soon become an unrestricted free agent, and is expected to command a contract upwards of $400 million. What are the chances that the Tigers could circle back and return him to the Motor City?
MLB Insider Links Tarik Skubal Back To The Detroit Tigers
Recently, MLB Insider Mark Feinsand put together a list of suitors for Skubal during the offseason, and interestingly enough, he includes the Tigers as a possibility.
However, he is sure to mention that bringing Skubal back into the fold would require a “monster” contract to be offered his way, and that the chances of the Tigers getting into a bidding war for him aren’t very strong.
“Although Detroit made the difficult decision to move Skubal before the Trade Deadline, the pitcher said he “would love to return” to the Tigers as a free agent. Could the Tigers shock the world by trading Skubal for three prospects in early August, then bringing him back with a monster free-agent deal only a few months later? It seems unlikely that the Tigers will get involved in a bidding war, so if Skubal is determined to get every last dollar, it probably won’t result in a return to the Motor City.”
Skubal did mention that he would be open to a Tigers reunion shortly after the Dodgers acquired him, but it remains to be seen on whether the Tigers would be willing to pony up the kind of contract he was looking for before he was ultimately dealt away.
Tarik Skubal Left The Door Open To A Tigers Return
Not long after he was acquired by the Dodgers, Skubal said that he would welcome a return to the Tigers.
“I would love to play my whole career in Detroit. I would love to,” Skubal said in a recent appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “And hopefully those negotiations can pick back up in November once the playoffs are done. We’ll see where that goes. Hopefully they’re involved with everything. I would love to return. I got nothing but good things to say about the city of Detroit.”
“And hopefully those negotiations can pick back up in November once the playoffs are done. We’ll see where that goes. Hopefully they’re involved with everything. I would love to return. I got nothing but good things to say about the city of Detroit.”
Responding to the comments, Tigers executive Scott Harris said that he wasn’t surprised to hear it.
“I’m not surprised,” Harris said. “Our players love playing here. The organization has done a ton to make this a destination and a place that players feel really supported here. As far as reaction about free agency or anything like that, I can’t really go into that for all the obvious reasons. But it’s a tribute to all the people behind the scenes who are working so hard to support our players and create an environment and facilities here that bring out the best in the players. And so it’s a credit to them, and it’s very validating to hear those comments.”
Tarik Skubal’s MLB Future Takes A New Turn