The Detroit Tigers have all of Major League Baseball keeping a close eye on what they do and say in the coming months ahead of the 2026 regular season.
While there's always going to be attention on the Tigers, this year it's completely different thanks to Tarik Skubal. The Tigers' lefty Cy Young award winner might be traded this offseason, and every contender would love to have him.
He will be expensive to acquire, and the Tigers haven't shown a willingness to move him. But, according to ESPN's Buster Olney on JustBaseballMedia's podcast, the gap in arbitration contract talks has led to some increased trade traction lately.
Tigers get big trade update on Tarik Skubal
"I've heard around the edges that there has been even more activity around Skubal in terms of preparing for possible trades since this arbitration situation popped up," Olney said.
The Tigers are in the middle of a contract dispute with Skubal over their arbitration filing. The Tigers filed at $19 million, while Skubal filed for $32 million. It's a massive $13 million gap, and one that has led to some increased trade speculation.
There was always a chance that Skubal could be dealt this offseason, but after some intrigue to begin the winter, rumors died down.
But now, thanks to the gap in arbitration numbers, the trade rumors surrounding Skubal have increased. They've increased enough that Olney, an MLB insider, is reporting that activity is increasing on a Skubal trade.
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There's still a lot that needs to happen before a deal is struck, and even if the Tigers get some incredible offers, they might turn them down and try to contend for a World Series in 2026.
But, as Olney said, "Scott Harris can end all of the conversation about and speculation any time he wants..." However, Harris hasn't done that and is leaving Skubal's name as a trade option for teams this winter.
A team like the Los Angeles Dodgers is a clear fit; with all of their resources, they could make a trade work for the Tigers. Some other clubs would make sense as well, as most teams would love to have the two-time Cy Young in their rotation.
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