Things are starting to heat up in the Detroit Tigers- Tarik Skubal trade saga. After reports from Robert Murray dropped yesterday about what a potential Skubal trade could look like, and who could potentially pull off a deal, one MLB executive indicated that there’s only a handful of presidents of baseball operations executives across MLB that have the assets (and wherewithal) to make the move.
One name that was dropped was Philadelphia Phillies‘ Dave Dombrowski, who has proven over the last several years that he’s willing to part with top prospects if it means the current team will get better right away. As for the Tarik Skubal rumors, there may not be a time when a trade has made more sense than now. Skubal has been sidelined for the last month with an elbow issue, and the Detroit Tigers have completely tanked in the standings. Even with Skubal in the rotation, it might be very hard for Detroit to turn things around. Pair that with his rental status due to his impending free agency, will the Tigers pull the trigger and attempt to land a generous haul for their back-to-back Cy Young winner?
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Phillies-Tigers Proposed Trade Package for Tarik Skubal
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 29: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on April 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
After the initial FanSided.com reports, MLB writer Zachary Rotman wasted no time in creating a hypothetical trade idea for the Phillies to land Tarik Skubal.
Here’s what it looks like:
“Phillies receive: Tarik Skubal
Tigers receive: prospects Gage Wood, Aidan Miller, and Gabriel Rincones Jr.”
Imagine that rotation trio of Zach Wheeler, Tarik Skubal, and Christopher Sanchez. Don’t think there would be a better rotation in MLB.
Here’s why the Phillies would make the trade, according to Rotman:
“To get a player of Skubal’s caliber, though, you’re going to have to part with a lot. Assuming Skubal comes back from his injury looking like Skubal again, are the Phillies really going to let the Dodgers, Padres, or another World Series contender make this kind of deal? Odds are, if Dombrowski won’t go all-in, another team will. This trade would hurt, especially with how unlikely it probably is that the Phillies would retain Skubal, but when will they have a better chance to win than right now, given the age of their core?”
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Will the Tigers Trade Tarik Skubal? Who Will Land the Dominant Southpaw?
GettyCLEVELAND, OHIO – OCTOBER 07: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers reacts in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during Game Two of the Division Series at Progressive Field on October 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Per the executives, the other high-ranking front office members who could potentially pull off a deal are AJ Preller and Andrew Friedman. No surprise there, as the Padres and Dodgers have been among MLB’s most aggressive teams in terms of trades.
As for the Phillies letting go of three top prospects in this hypothetical trade package… Is that too much for a rental player? And if so, what is the actual price for Skubal?
The Tarik Skubal trade saga is so unique because we’ve never seen a player like Skubal, who is undoubtedly the best pitcher in MLB over the past three seasons, actually gain this much traction in trade rumors.
And of course, it could be all smoke, but the Tigers have made it clear with the signing of Framber Valdez that the plan may be to let Skubal walk, and given the fact that Detroit is falling so far under.500, the rumors and speculation have all of a sudden become very pertinent.
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