Tarik Skubal is the best left-handed pitcher on the planet.
And if the Detroit Tigers were to even consider trading him rather than sign him to a massive contract extension, it'd take one of the biggest trade hauls in recent MLB history.
That's an idea explored in a new piece by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. What teams even have enough to get Skubal, and then pay him?
Feinsand arrives at two favorites and then three other possibilities.
The first, the New York Mets.
"New York has plenty of young pitching to offer Detroit – Brandon Sproat and/or Jonah Tong, for example – while outfielder Carson Benge and infielder/outfielder Jett Williams could also interest the Tigers," Feinsand writes. "All four of those players are in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100, and while giving up three (or four?) Players like that might be a huge cost, the Mets have the money to sign Skubal long term and keep him in New York."
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The other top candidate, according to Feinsand, is the Boston Red Sox.
"The Red Sox made a big move last year by acquiring Crochet, but imagine pairing Skubal with him atop the rotation in 2026?" Feinsand writes. "Boston has a pair of Top 100 pitchers (lefty Payton Tolle and righty Kyson Witherspoon) as well as two position players (shortstop Franklin Arias and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia) on that list, giving the Sox a good foundation from which to build a package for Skubal."
From there, Feinsand adds that the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres "should never be counted out."
The Dodgers have Josue De Paula, the No. 13 prospect in baseball.
The Phillies' top prospect is pitcher Andrew Painter, while the Padres' system is led by catching prospect Ethan Salas.
"Other teams will invariably throw their hats in the ring if Skubal is made available, but for the Tigers to move him, they will have to get back a package that not only helps the future, but allows the 2026 club to take aim at its third straight postseason berth," Feinsand writes.
If a Skubal bidding war commences, it could get quite wild.
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