If the Detroit Tigers were to sell at the MLB trade deadline, Tarik Skubal would inarguably be the best player they'd have to offer. But despite their shortcomings, the Tigers aren't looking to cash in on Skubal's dominant first half.
Detroit has no intentions of trading Skubal, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today. He even called the idea of hypothetical trade talks surrounding the pitcher, “silly.”
But it's no laughing matter just how good Skubal has been. Through 19 starts, the left-hander holds a 10-3 record with a 2.41 ERA and a 140/21 K/BB ratio. Skubal earned the first All-Star Game nomination of his career and currently leads the league in ERA among pitchers with 100+ innings thrown. He also ranks fifth in strikeouts.
At 46-50 and 13 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central, it's easy to see why the Tigers are expected to be sellers. But Detroit knows that as they continue to rebuild, the team is stronger with Skubal as their ace.
Besides, the lefty is under team control through the 2027 season. While they'd get a hefty return, the Tigers would rather build around Tarik Skubal rather than trade him away.
When Detroit is competing again, they're hoping Skubal is still leading the charge. For now, they'll have to settle for watching him competing in the All-Star Game.
Tarik Skubal rises to new heights with Tigers
The Tigers selected Skubal in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. By 2020, he was the fifth-best prospect in Detroit's organization, via MLB Pipeline. The team felt ready to call Skubal up to the major leagues.
It took some time for the lefty to truly find his footing. He held a 5.63 ERA as a rookie and followed it up with a 4.34 ERA as a sophomore. However, his second campaign came with what remains a career-high 164 strikeouts, showing glimmers of Skubal's potential.
His ERA continued to lower to 3.52 before a career-best 2.80 in 2023. That season, he put up a 7-3 record and a 102/14 K/BB ratio. Skubal had a late start to the season as he worked his way back from flexor tendon surgery.
Now fully healthy, Tarik Skubal has proven that he will be a staple of Detroit's rotation for the foreseeable future, assuming he stays fully healthy. The Tigers have a number of young pitchers they're looking to build their future around. Detroit's proof of concept has been proven through the success of Skubal.
The only problem has been the Tigers' lack of success on the field. Barring a second-half turnaround, Detroit will miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. Ownership knows things need to change, and selling away pieces at the deadline will help get them closer to their goals.
You know what else gets the Tigers closer to being contenders? Tarik Skubal starting every fifth day. His Cy Young campaign will continue in Detroit.
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