No team is being hounded as much as the Detroit Tigers this offseason in trade talks. While other clubs have players who could be dealt, the Tigers have the best possible player who could realistically be traded.
Tarik Skubal, the back-to-back Cy Young winner, could wind up getting traded for a king's ransom this offseason. There are plenty of interested teams, like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, among others.
But, for MLB insider Robert Murray of Fansided.com, he predicts that Detroit will make a trade decision with Skubal that will frustrate all of the interested teams around Major League Baseball.
Tigers are predicted to frustrate teams interested in Tarik Skubal
"I don't believe any team trades for Skubal," Murray predicts. "The Tigers really value him, and he loves being in Detroit. With the reported gap in extension talks, I can't see a long-term contract being reached this offseason. So my feeling is that the Tigers keep Skubal, he plays out the season in Detroit, and then he tests free agency next offseason."
If this is indeed what happens with Skubal, then a lot of teams around baseball would be frustrated. The Tigers holding onto their ace when he's set to hit free agency is a controversial decision.
Some believe the Tigers need to trade him for a haul to avoid the scenario where he walks for nothing in free agency.
More: How Tigers' GM Scott Harris might've revealed his concerning Tarik Skubal plan
Others believe that the Tigers trading Skubal, no matter what they get back, would be a damning admission of the Tigers' stance on their own stars.
Keeping Skubal would be ideal for the Tigers, but no matter what, he is hitting the open market after the 2026 season. Instead of letting him walk for nothing, Detroit could trade him now and could still try to sign him next offseason.
But, Murray predicts the Tigers won't move on from Skubal for the 2026 season. He could wind up leaving in free agency, but Murray isn't expecting Skubal to be on a new team until then.
The Tigers holding onto Skubal would undoubtedly frustrate fans and personnel of other MLB teams. After an offseason of Skubal trade rumors, this prediction from Murray coming to pass would almost certainly frustrate other MLB clubs.
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