Mets trade pitch sends Carson Benge, Jonah Tong and more to Tigers for Tarik Skubal

Jon Conahan

•
Mets trade pitch sends Carson Benge, Jonah Tong and more to Tigers for Tarik Skubal image

The New York Mets are at a point where they have to go out and make a move for an ace. 

After a disappointing 2025 season and an offseason losing multiple elite players, there’s an obvious need for reinforcements, and elite ones at that. 

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has been floated in trade ideas for New York, and Christopher Kline of FanSided laid out the case for why the Mets make sense as a suitor.

New York Mets receive:
SP Tarik Skubal

Detroit Tigers receive:
OF Carson Benge (NYM No. 2)
SP Jonah Tong (NYM No. 4)
1B Ryan Clifford (NYM No. 8)
RP Jonathan Pintaro (NYM No. 17)

“A lot of teams would love to add Skubal, even as a rental, but I'm not sure any contender needs to morale boost and the talent influx more than the New York Mets right now. GM David Stearns has effectively gutted the roster after a disappointing 2025 season and he's operating with a lot more patience than the average Mets fan right now. 

“Selling the farm for Skubal on an expiring contract does not really fit with Stearns' current strategy, and he tends to shy away from big pitching expenses. But if any team can cough up the $400 million-plus Skubal will demand as a free agent, it's the Mets. Skubal is worth breaking the trend,” he wrote.

Moving Benge, Tong, Clifford, and Pintaro would be a lot for someone who could be a rental, but this is Tarik Skubal we’re talking about.

It’s a risky move, but if the Mets are serious about changing the ways of this roster, Skubal is the type of swing that actually fixes a lot.

More Mets news:

Editorial Team