At the time of writing this (July 18), we are officially past the MLB All-Star Break, so the next big mile marker of the MLB season is the trade deadline on August 3rd, and there’s one major question that surrounds this year’s edition: will the Detroit Tigers trade Tarik Skubal?

If you read my Prospect Spotlight update of Kevin McGonigle yesterday, you know where I come down on that subject. I believe that Detroit absolutely needs to trade Skubal. Not because I want to see him on a bloated big-market roster. I would LOVE to see him be a Tigers lifer. I don’t think that’s likely, so naturally, if I’m Detroit, I have to ask myself, do I want to take a chance that I can convince him to stay, or do I want to ensure that I can get something back for one of the best pitchers in baseball?

To me, the answer seems obvious. If the Tigers were paying attention a few years ago, they saw what can happen if you take your chances trying to keep your superstar and fail. The Los Angeles Angels wanted to have their cake and it to. They wanted to keep Shohei Ohtani but not actually be aggressive enough at the deadline to move the needle on the team’s playoff chances. And they got nothing. A team in perpetual rebuild had an opportunity to jumpstart it, and instead, they stand as one of the worst teams in baseball…still.

In 2026, Detroit finds themselves at a crossroads. They’re playing better baseball as of late going into baseball’s second half, The Tigers are only 6.5 games back in a very winnable AL Central, but even if they find themselves playing in October, they don’t have an offensive capable of keeping up with the best teams in baseball. So, even if they make it, it will likely be short-lived. Is it worth it for Detroit to hang on to Skubal for a couple extra months if it’s just going to result in them being a footnote in someone else’s story?

Again, if it were me, the answer is no.

So, if Detroit were to trade Tarik Skubal, what would that look like? That’s what the rest of this post will explore. Potential trade partners, pieces and packages to look for in this summer’s Tarik Skubal sweepstakes. While I’m sure half the league will be trying to obtain Skubal as a rental, today, I’m going to focus on what I believe to be the four most realistic teams that I believe could not only acquire him at the deadline, but have a good chance at signing him to an extension beyond this season.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are probably the team I’ve heard most frequently attached to Skubal, and general manager Alex Anthopoulus is known for being aggressive at the deadline. Add to that the fact that the Braves are a legitimate contender in 2026 who are in need of starting pitching due to injury. Skubal is a perfect fit, but at what cost?

It may seem fairly obvious, but if I’m the Tigers setting my expectations for returns for Skubal, I need both an arm and a bat. One to replace the asset I’m losing in Skubal and one to address the need of an offense that leaves a bit to be desired.

If I’m Detroit, I’m looking at any combination of JR Ritchie, Cam Caminiti or Eric Hartman. Hartman is a minor league bat that is generating a ton of buzz this season. If I’m Atlanta, Hartman is untouchable, so that leaves Ritchie and Caminiti, and I imagine it’s one or the other for Atlanta. Ritchie is obviously pro-ready, so he’s the more likely target, but the Braves aren’t getting Skubal on Ritchie alone. Before the season, I’d say Ozzie Albies was a likely trade piece, but fast-forward to July and the 2026 All-Star is having the best season of his career, so he’s not going anywhere. Then there’s Acuna. There’s been a lot of talk about the Braves moving him for similar reasons to Skubal, but given that he’s currently hurt, and I do believe the Braves have a better chance to re-sign him than the Tigers to Skubal, I’d guess he’s off limits as well.

That leaves a package of prospects. Here’s my mock trade offer:

ATL recieves:

• SP Tarik Skubal

DET recieves:

• SP JR Ritchie
• INF Nacho Alvarez Jr.
• SP Hurston Waldrep

Detroit is going to need pitching depth if they are going to part with Skubal. You could offer Owen Murphy instead of Hurston Waldrep, but I think it’s going to take MLB-ready Waldrep to get the deal over the line. Additionally, Alvarez gives Detroit a middle infield bat and more options on the lineup card. Maybe not the most enticing package for a Detroit team hoping to contend, but I think it’s a good offer nonetheless.

Los Angeles Dodgers

I think I speak for 95% of baseball fans when I say that this is the worst possible outcome, but I also fear it’s the most likely. Los Angeles is aggressive to continue winning now, and they have a farm system that is loaded with assets for a team building for the future.

If I’m naming the price for the Tigers, a deal is absolutely not getting done without Josue De Paula. We’re in the big leagues now (literally). De Paula is the #4 prospect in baseball, and as I mentioned in my article The Dodgers Are About To Have A Josue De Paula Dilemma on June 14, De Paula has it all. The Dodgers are no stranger to the midseason blockbuster. They know that in order to land a big dog, it takes a big dog offer.

Many mock offers have the Dodgers sending De Paula and Mike Sirota in the deal. Sometimes even Jackson Ferris and Emil Morales. As great as Skubal is, it seems like WAY too steep of a price to pay for what could be a rental. The Dodgers do, in my opinion have the best chance of signing Skubal long-term, but I don’t see LA parting with both De Paula AND Sirota.

LAD recieves:

• SP Tarik Skubal

DET receives

• OF Josue De Paula
• SP Emmet Sheehan (or Jackson Ferris)
• Cash Considerations

Detroit would get a big-time bat that is near MLB-ready and has potential to be paradigm shifting. They also receive a starting pitcher that fills the roster spot left by Skubal. The Tigers may prefer LA’s #10 prospect Jackson Ferris, but I’d take Sheehan. He’s already tasted success at the Major League level. Detroit needs that. Then we have cash to finish the deal. The Dodgers may not want to include a 3rd prospect, they may not want to move an established Major Leaguer like Andy Pages or TeoscarHernandez, so cash may act as the sweetner.

This may not be enough. They may need to include Emil Morales, but if they don’t want to do that, maybe they can drop down to 3B Chase Harlan, a 2024 3rd round currently in High-A ball. It’s less of a risk for Los Angeles to part with Harlan over Morales, but Detroit could still be enticed by this extremely physical slugger who creates “double-plus” raw power. Even if the Dodgers include Harlan, I think cash would still need to be part of the deal.

New York Yankees

Much like the Dodgers with Josue De Paula, if I’m the Tigers, this deal doesn’t get done with the Yankees without George Lombard Jr. The question for me if I’m the Tigers is what else will I accept? I can’t imagine the Yankees would be willing to move Spencer Jones as well. Maybe you could get a Luis Gil, Ben Rice feels untouchable. Maybe the Yankees should consider a divorce from Anthony Volpe, but that feels unlikely.

That said, we look at what Detroit needs: pitching. Therefore, Luis Gil is in play. But there needs to be one more. Again, big dog offer. I’m suggesting either RHP Bryce Cunningham or LHP Kyle Carr. If the Tigers prioritize MLB-ready, go with Carr. He’s a 24-year-old with over 300 career strikeouts in the minors. He’s a bit undersized at 6’0″, but has a fastball that tops out at 97 MPH. If they prioritize upside, go with Bryce Cunningham. The 6’3″, 230-lb right hander was a 2nd round pick in 2024. He also has a fastball that peaks at 97, but his best pitch is definitely his upper-80s changeup, that was one of the best in the college game while he was at Vanderbilt, generating a ton of swing-and-miss.

Personally, I’d go with Cunningham. If Detroit is getting Gil in the deal, AND this year’s first round pick Cameron Flukey is expected to be fast-tracked through the minors, Detroit can afford to wait on a higher upside guy like Cunningham, who is projected to have a ceiling of a #2 starter.

NYY recieves

• SP Tarik Skubal

DET recieves

• INF George Lombard Jr.
• SP Luis Gil
• SP Bryce Cunningham

Philadelphia Phillies

This one’s a bit more tough to forecast due to the fact that Detroit may try to ask for BOTH of Philadelphia’s top prospects Andrew Painter and Aiden Miller. No way they’re getting both. Andrew Painter seems more likely, and Philadelphia has always been willing to be aggressive in the name of winning.

Where I think you’d have to be creative is in the inclusion of Major League talent to get this over the finish line. But Painter has to be involved. I don’t see how this deal can get done without him.

After Painter, the two best trade pieces that come to mind are Justin Crawford and Alec Bohm. It might seem like a steep price to pay, but it IS Skubal. If anything, I feel like maybe I’m shortchanging the Tigers in my other offers. After all, this is a back-to-back Cy Young Award winner we’re talking about. After all the extracurricular stuff that’s gone on with Alec Bohm in the last year or two, a change of scenery might be good for him, and Detroit would really love Crawford’s speed.

If I’m Philly and I believe that asking price is too steep, I’m countering with Gabriel Rincones Jr. instead of Crawford. Nowhere near the burner that Crawford is, but he runs the bases well and has tremendous raw power with high exit velocities.

PHI recieves

• SP Tarik Skubal

DET recieves

• SP Andrew Painter
• 3B Alec Bohm
• OF Justin Crawford (Gabriel Rincones Jr.)

Those are the four teams that I view as the biggest contenders. I also see the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox being sleeper teams for Skubal’s services, but I don’t think Milwaukee would be willing to pay that steep a price (though I think you could get him for Sal Frelick, Brandon Sproat, and maybe Jett Williams), and the Red Sox have suddenly found themselves as one of the hottest teams in baseball. Maybe they are swinging from sellers to buyers, but I think they would be more in the market for bats, so I’d be kind of suprised if they were aggressive for Skubal.

Regardless, I think it’s the smart play for Detroit to move on from Skubal. Even if the Tigers continue to play well enough to sneak their way into the Postseason, they are not a true contender. Because of that, the smart play is to re-tool, and a superstar of Skubal’s caliber can net you the assets to help you re-tool…and fast!