At this point, only god knows if the Detroit Tigers will actually move on from their Cy Young ace in Tarik Skubal.
But for argument and speculation’s sake, the New York Yankees have emerged as a potential landing spot if the Tigers were to become sellers and offload Skubal and his 2025 salary. Remember, Tarik Skubal is a free agent after the season’s end, and has to be looked at as a rental addition. The trade rumors are off the charts right now, especially surrounding Skubal. ESPN.com (on June 8) came out with a lengthy piece full of Tarik Skubal trade packages, and it came as no surprise to see the Yankees featured as being a part of the nine teams linked to him in the article.
So, what would it take for the Yankees to complete a deal for Tarik Skubal?
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Yankees Trade Idea for Tarik Skubal
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 30: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers throws a pitch in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game one of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field on September 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)
Here is what ESPN.com proposes as an offer deal for Tarik Skubal:
“The offer: OF Spencer Jones and RHP Carlos Lagrange or RHP Elmer Rodriguez”
Yankees fans, is this too much to give up? Or is a two-player deal centered around Spencer Jones and one of the Yankees’ top pitching prospects a reasonable trade-off for the services of Tarik Skubal for three months?
ESPN.com’s Eric Karabell wrote:
“How can any potential major trade not include Yankees rumors? They last won the World Series in — checks notes — 2009. Of course they would want one of the top pitchers in the world even if their rotation appears to be one of the best already. Skubal would make it better. Any debate must start with the slugging, strikeout-prone Jones, whom the Yankees might not have the patience to wait for, or perhaps OF Jasson Dominguez. One must go. What about one of the organization’s top pitching prospects in Lagrange or Rodriguez? That is a lot, but then again, so is Skubal.”
As far-fetched as it may seem for the Yankees to actually land Tarik Skubal, imagine that starting rotation with Gerrit Cole, Tarik Skubal, Max Fried, Will Warren and Cam Schlittler. That could immediately make the Yankees the favorite to come out of the American League and challenge for a World Series.
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Tarik Skubal’s Trade Status…
GettyTarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers warms up against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning in game two of the Division Series at T-Mobile Park on October 05, 2025 in Seattle, Washington.
Not so fast, however, with the Tarik Skubal trade rumors. The internet has been on fire over the past week or so with reports that Tarik Skubal is likely to be traded, but the Tigers have a conflicting report as the direct source of actually being the team with Skubal on their roster, and they have the final say in it.
And just last week, the Tigers’ front office members indicated that they would like to hold onto Skubal to at least see what he can provide the team after his elbow surgery. Skubal is set to return to the Tigers’ rotation very shortly, and one can assume he will likely dominate once he does.
In 43.1 innings pitched this season, Skubal has an ERA of 2.70 with 45 strikeouts and a FIP of 2.11.
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Yankees Trade Prediction Lands Tigers’ Tarik Skubal in New York for Spencer Jones and Top Pitching Prospect