The Detroit Tigers will be the subject of plenty of trade speculation this offseason, as teams around Major League Baseball are all clamoring for a chance to acquire Tarik Skubal.
Detroit isn't likely to trade its two-time Cy Young, but that decision is one that many around MLB don't agree with. ESPN's Jeff Passan shares that the league is split on what the Tigers should do.
For one source that Passan asked, they believe it would be "malpractice" for the Tigers not to trade Skubal this offseason. There's a clear reason why, and it's not a flimsy argument.
Why Tigers shouldn't keep Tarik Skubal amid 'malpractice' concerns
"Some are convinced the Tigers will move the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner because, as one person said, 'They have to.'" Passan writes."By which he means if the Tigers are not going to sign Skubal to a long-term contract before he hits free agency following the 2026 season... Then it would be malpractice not to get the enormous return package a year of his services would bring."
Trading Skubal would come with a massive bidding war, as teams around baseball would love to have Skubal on their pitching staff, even if it were for only one year.
Teams like the New York Mets, the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays, and many others would be willing to part with the prospects and MLB talent needed to land Skubal for one year.
Losing a player like Skubal would be a huge loss, and the Tigers willingly trading him away would be met with scrutiny by some. But, for some in the industry, this is a golden opportunity for the Tigers to land a potentially organization-changing return.
Of course, the major caveat is that the Tigers wouldn't be able to re-sign or extend Skubal for this trade to make sense. If Skubal is going to hit free agency anyway, the Tigers would be better off landing a huge return.
More: How Tigers' GM Scott Harris might've revealed his concerning Tarik Skubal plan
There is some precedent in recent MLB history for a team holding onto a player when they could've traded them for a haul. The Los Angeles Angels didn't trade Shohei Ohtani in the final year of his control, instead seeing him leave in free agency for nothing.
If the Angels traded him, they would've been met with backlash in the moment, but the long-term could've been a lot better with the prospects and talent acquired in such a trade.
Now, the Tigers are faced with a similar dilemma, and for some in the Major Leagues, they believe it would be malpractice not to trade Skubal for a huge return while they can.
It's going to be an incredibly fascinating decision this winter for the Tigers, regardless of whether they trade or keep the dominant lefty pitcher.
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