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The 2022 MLB trade deadline is right around the corner. Not many trades have been made yet, but you can bet that once one move gets made, a domino effect of big moves will follow shortly after. And as teams settle into their buyer or seller roles, the Detroit Tigers recent stance on their entire team, including young ace Tarik Skubal, has put the rest of the league on high alert.
Reports have begun to come out that the Tigers are listening to offers for pretty much everyone on their roster, including Skubal, their 25 year old ace. Skubal has shown the upside of being a potential number one starter on a playoff team, and nobody was really expecting him to be available at the trade deadline.
But now that he is, teams are flocking to Detroit trying to craft a package to land the young pitcher. Many contenders could use another solid starting pitcher in their rotation, let alone one with as much potential as Skubal. If Skubal does end up getting traded, here are the three best landing spots for him.
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Top 3 trade destinations for Tarik Skubal
Things haven't gone the way many expected they would for the Toronto Blue Jays this season. A large reason for that has been their pitching staff. Their bullpen has been a mess, and two of their starters in Jose Berrios and Yusei Kikuchi have ERAs above five. Adding Tarik Skubal could help address the woes in the starting rotation.
Skubal has a 7-8 record, despite playing on a bad Tigers team, with a 3.88 ERA and 111 strikeouts. The Blue Jays already have two top of the line starters in Alek Manoah and Kevin Gausman, and Ross Stripling hasn't been that bad either. Adding Skubal would give Toronto a dynamite starting rotation, even if Berrios doesn't turn things around.
Skubal has loads of talent, and would give the Blue Jays a pitcher who is under team control for four more seasons. Toronto pulled off a big move for Berrios at the 2021 trade deadline, and it might not be a bad idea for them to try to make a similar move for Skubal this time around given the struggles of their pitching staff this season.
The Atlanta Braves have gotten through the first half of the 2022 season without really having a fifth starting pitcher. Spencer Strider has stepped up to help out recently, but he may be of better use out of the bullpen. Including Strider, there have been six pitchers who have made spots out of the fifth spot in the rotation for the Braves so far this season.
Acquiring Tarik Skubal would be the perfect remedy to that issue. Skubal could slot in behind Atlanta's dominant top duo of Max Fried and Kyle Wright. The Braves final two spots of the rotation belong to Charlie Morton and Ian Anderson, both who have struggled this season. Acquiring Skubal would give Brian Snitker the ability to mix and match his bullpen and starting rotation as he pleases.
The Braves look to be set on making a run for the NL East, and they are creeping up on the New York Mets in the standings. Picking up a young gun like Skubal could help them beat out the Mets not just this season, but for many seasons in the future. A starting rotation featuring Fried, Wright, and Skubal would be absolutely deadly for the Braves moving forward, so they should seriously consider looking into making a deal here.
Anytime you mention top destinations for players if they were to be traded, the Los Angeles Dodgers have to come in near the top of the list. They have the talent on their major league roster to win now, and a farm system good enough to go acquire more major league talent, which makes them a player for pretty much any big name that becomes available.
The Dodgers are once again leading the pack in the National League, despite running thin on starting pitching. Their top four starters of Tyler Anderson, Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin, and Clayton Kershaw have been fantastic. Considering the fact they are doing that while their ace Walker Buehler is out with injury makes it even more impressive.
But that's why the Dodgers need another starter. Mitch White has been filling in during Buehler's absence, but he's better fit for a role in the bullpen. Tarik Skubal would be the perfect option for the Dodgers considering he would be under team control for the long-term future, and that they have the assets to swing a deal for him.
Los Angeles adding Skubal would be a case of the rich getting richer, but their probably isn't a better destination for Detroit's young stud. Skubal would have the opportunity to win a World Series immediately, while joining a star studded rotation as well. If Skubal ends up getting moved, the Dodgers may be among the teams at the front of the line trying to pick him up.
