TL;DR
- Tarik Skubal finds trade speculation unsettling but tries not to let it affect his daily routine.
- Skubal explicitly stated he does not want to be traded and continues his preparation as usual.
- He is confused why he is part of trade talks, emphasizing his commitment to the Detroit Tigers.
- Skubal's family is more affected by the rumors, prompting him to advise them to avoid social media discussions.
For the past two seasons, Tarik Skubal has been considered perhaps the top pitcher in baseball, but this offseason he's facing a different kind of attention—one that makes him uneasy. He's frequently mentioned in trade speculation, and the Detroit Tigers ace recently spoke for the first time about the experience of being caught in that persistent buzz.
On Foul Territory Thursday, Skubal didn't dismiss the chatter or claim it doesn't affect him. He admitted what many star athletes hesitate to voice: it's unavoidable.
“With the way social media is, it’s hard not to see things about yourself,” Skubal said. “But it doesn’t impact who I am on a day-to-day basis. It’s all out of my control.”
He made one thing clear early — the rumors aren’t coming from him.
“I don’t want to be traded,” he said. “You see the talk, but it doesn’t change how I work. I’m still preparing the same way.”
The two-time Cy Young Award winner admitted he’s confused why his name keeps showing up in proposals from big-market teams.
Detroit hasn't signaled any desire to move him, but industry chatter points to the realities of the market: he's heading into his last arbitration year, free agency is approaching quickly, and his worth is at an all-time high following two consecutive Cy Young-worthy campaigns.
Still, he doesn’t understand why fans assume something is already underway.
“Why am I even in this conversation?” Skubal said. “I’m a Tiger until they tell me otherwise.”
While the rumors might not bother him, his family doesn't always remain as composed. Skubal chuckled as he described how his parents sometimes encounter online discussions and react as if they're major developments.
“My mom and dad are probably the ones asking, ‘Where are you gonna play next year?’” he said. “I’m like, I’m a Tiger. You’ll find out the same time I do if anything actually happens.”
He also made a point to tell them — repeatedly — to stay out of the online fray.
“Don’t take to social media. Don’t comment. Don’t create a story out of nothing,” he said. “My wife gets it. She stays away from it. But my family? I have to remind them.”
Skubal acknowledged the trade speculation is understandable and didn't fault the reporting. He described it as “part of the job.” However, his response to the main inquiry regarding his feelings about a potential major trade was direct.
He isn't the individual advocating for a trade. And until he receives different information, he's training as though Detroit remains his base.
