As Major League Baseball’s August 3 trade deadline approaches, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal prepares to make his scheduled start Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park. Despite intense trade speculation linking him to multiple contenders, Skubal remains focused on baseball as he stands one strikeout away from 1,000.
Trade Rumors and the Market for Skubal
The trade deadline clock is ticking down to Monday, Aug. 3, at 6 p.m. ET, and the baseball world is fixated on Detroit. With the Tigers sitting seven games under .500 and six games out in the AL Central after dropping three straight games, rival executives have stopped holding back out of respect for the team’s lingering playoff hopes. Multiple clubs plan to reach out to Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris to inquire about the two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner.
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Among the prominent suitors expected to make aggressive plays for the left-hander are the Rays, Brewers, Braves, Yankees, and Dodgers. Acquiring a difference-making ace at the deadline is rare, with industry insiders comparing the potential impact to historic midseason blockbusters like Randy Johnson in 1998, CC Sabathia in 2008, and David Price in 2015.
Any deal for Skubal will command an exorbitant return. Even though he is a rental player eligible for free agency at the end of the season, the Tigers are expected to initially demand no exclusions in trade talks, requiring interested teams to make virtually every top young prospect available, according to reporting from The Athletic.
Skubal Tunes Out the Noise to Focus on a Milestone
“The noise is from you guys, not from me. The noise isn’t in this clubhouse. The narratives out there, I don’t control any of that, so why would I worry about it? My job’s to go out there and win. That’s all I can ask of myself to do, just go out there and compete. I’ve done that my entire career, so that won’t change.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch echoed that sentiment when asked about the risks of deploying his ace right before the deadline. Hinch confirmed to reporters that he is fully expecting his starter to take the ball.
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“We are trying to win a series so that puts us in a better position to be a playoff team. The information I have is to win the series. We have to win tonight in order to put us in that position, so I am fully expecting him to pitch.”
A.J. Hinch, Detroit Tigers manager, via MLB
Wednesday’s start carries an extra layer of personal significance. Skubal enters the game with 999 career strikeouts, putting him one punchout away from the 1,000-strikeout milestone. He missed out on the mark during his last outing when Hinch pulled him after 7 1/3 innings to protect his arm, but the milestone now sits directly in his sights at home.
Lining Up the Contending Suitors and Roster Shakes
Landing spots for Skubal vary widely in feasibility and cost.
As the front office weighs its options, the Tigers are simultaneously dealing with mounting roster attrition.
