Despite remaining in the American League Playoff chase, the Detroit Tigers were sellers ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.
Detroit sent away Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin, and Carson Kelly as the franchise abandoned hopes of remaining in contention this season.
Tarik Skubal, the ace starter and likely American League Cy Young winner, has not been moved. He was the subject of various rumors prior to the July 30 deadline. However, with Skubal within team control for the foreseeable future, the Tigers’ decision to trade him made little sense.
Tigers president Scott Harris has now shared more information about how the talks went. He told reporters on Thursday that the transaction was never truly near.
“Not close,” Harris said WXYZ Detroit sports director Brad Galli. “A lot of rumors circulated out there. There are many ‘unconfirmed reports’ that are completely incorrect. We never got close to trading Skubal.
This is consistent with a report from Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times, which stated that the Dodgers did not believe Skubal was available.
Will the Detroit Tigers trade Tarik Skubal this winter?
That is the biggest question right now. The 27-year-old lefty is under team control until the 2026 season. He is eligible for arbitration this winter and after the 2025 season. The former ninth-round pick is also enjoying a breakout season.
Tarik Skubal’s (2024) stats: 12-3 record, 2.35 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 154 strikeouts
Skubal undoubtedly has great stuff. That cannot be refuted. It’s also one of the reasons why his asking price is rumored to be extremely expensive.
With a 52-57 record heading into today’s MLB games, the Tigers expect to compete going forward. Trading one of the game’s top pitchers is unlikely in the near future.
