Mets trade prediction lands electric $10M Cy Young winner, 2-time All-Star, bolstering rotation

Hunter Cookston

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Mets trade prediction lands electric $10M Cy Young winner, 2-time All-Star, bolstering rotation image

The Detroit Tigers’ season came to a heartbreaking end in a 15-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners. Despite a strong year, the Tigers collapsed down the stretch, allowing the Cleveland Guardians to catch up and force a difficult playoff path. In the ALDS, manager AJ Hinch came under fire for a controversial decision to pull starter Tarik Skubal before he reached 100 pitches.

“AJ Hinch was always a fraud and needed trash cans to win a championship,” Harris posted.

After the game, Hinch addressed the criticism and explained that the decision was made mutually between him and Skubal.

“Easy decision," Hinch said about removing Skubal. "After the fifth, I checked in on him how he was doing physically and emotionally, and we both knew that he had one left. You know, he emptied his tank and obviously was emotional coming off the mound, and I think that signals exactly where we were in the game. He gave us everything he could."

Skubal will enter the final season of his contract in 2025, but keeping him in Detroit long-term could prove difficult.

“The first option is no doubt the most desirable. It may also be the most unrealistic. Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, and you can already picture Boras at the Winter Meetings proclaiming in front of an eager media scrum that Skubal is the engine that makes the Motor City Kitties purr,” CBS Sports’ RJ Anderson wrote.

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If the Tigers are unable to strike an extension, one potential trade destination could be the New York Mets.

“Adding Skubal would give them a certified ace; even if their depth got depleted, they could rely on Skubal to produce. The Mets are in a much better position than the Tigers, offensively. If Skubal could win with Detroit, imagine what he’d do with a strong lineup to back him up,” FanSided’s Wynston Wilcox wrote.

A trade to the Mets would give New York a much-needed boost in a rotation that has struggled to stay healthy. Skubal is widely considered one of the best pitchers in the game today.

If the Mets pull off a deal for Skubal, it would be another major step in building a true contender. For New York, the mission is clear: spend big, trade big, and win big — and Skubal could be at the center of that plan.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.