The New York Yankees will certainly be a team to keep an eye on during the 2026 season. The Yankees were once again among the top teams in the league during the regular season but fell short during the playoffs. As a result, they are entering the 2026 campaign with the hope of going on a real run this time around.
The Yankees responded to their rough postseason by making a handful of moves during the offseason. Their most notable move was re-signing star slugger Cody Bellinger to a five-year contract. They also re-signed several players from last season’s roster, including Trent Grisham, Ryan Harbrough, Paul Goldschmidt, Amed Rosario, and Paul Blackburn. Their most notable new addition was pitcher Ryan Weathers, as they acquired him from the Miami Marlins.
Overall, the Yankees have a strong roster heading into the 2026 season and should once again be a top team in the American League. While this is the case, it is also clear that they could use another star pitcher as they look to win their first World Series championship since 2009.
Because of this, the Yankees are now being linked to the best trade candidate pitcher in the rumor mill right now.
Yankees Named Potential Landing Spot for Tigers Star Pitcher Tarik Skubal
In a recent article for CBS Sports, Mike Axisa took a look at 10 trade candidates to watch once the 2026 MLB trade deadline is almost here. The biggest name that Axisa discussed was Detroit Tigers superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal. The back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner has been the subject of trade speculation for a while now, so it makes sense that he made Axisa’s list.
“Do I think it’s likely the Tigers stumble so badly the first four months of the season that they seriously consider trading Skubal at the deadline? No, I don’t. Is it possible? Absolutely. The Tigers had a rough finish to 2025, particularly on offense, and that’s not something Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander will fix. A middling offense and untimely pitching injuries could push the Tigers out of the race and put Skubal on the block,” Axisa wrote.
Axisa also then named three potential landing spots for Skubal, and the Yankees were one of them.
The Yankees being viewed as a possible trade destination for Skubal is easy to understand. They need another star pitcher in their rotation, and landing an elite starter like Skubal would provide them with just that. He is exactly the kind of superstar pitcher that a team looking to win it all, like the Yankees, should be looking to bring in.
Skubal is coming off another fantastic season with the Tigers, too. In 31 games with Detroit in 2025, he had a 13-6 record, a 2.21 ERA, and a career-high 241 strikeouts. This was good enough for him to win his second straight Cy Young Award, so there is no question that he would give the Yankees’ rotation a major boost if acquired.
Skubal Would Cost the Yankees A Lot in a Trade
If the Tigers end up making Skubal available, there is no question that the Yankees would need to give up a lot for him. This is because he is a superstar pitcher, and there would be several other clubs looking to add him as well.
Yet, with the Yankees in win-now mode, making a blockbuster move for Skubal ahead of the deadline would make a lot of sense for them.
Yankees Linked to Potential Blockbuster for Cy Young Winner