The Tarik Skubal trade chatter refuses to slow down, and Detroit Free Press reporter Evan Petzold just added gasoline to the fire. In his latest hypothetical, Petzold outlined what a blockbuster return from the Baltimore Orioles could look like if the Tigers decided to move their two-time Cy Young winner.
And let’s just say this: the headline writes itself.
Under Petzold’s proposal, the Detroit Tigers would land former No. 1 overall prospect Jackson Holliday, along with a trio of young, controllable arms and an outfield depth piece, a franchise-shifting haul for one of baseball’s best pitchers.
So what exactly would Detroit receive in this hypothetical megadeal? Let’s break it down.
The Proposed Trade Package
Tigers Receive:
- 2B/SS Jackson Holliday
- LHP Cade Povich
- RHP Trey Gibson
- OF Reed Trimble
Orioles Receive:
- LHP Tarik Skubal
Jackson Holliday: The Centerpiece
This entire proposal revolves around one name: Jackson Holliday.
Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, entered the league with superstar expectations. And while his first two MLB seasons have been uneven — hitting .229 with 22 HR and a .659 OPS across 209 games — it’s way too early to dismiss the talent that made him baseball’s No. 1 prospect.
Baltimore simply doesn’t have a long-term spot for him in the middle infield. Gunnar Henderson is locked in at shortstop, Jordan Westburg is thriving at second, and Holliday has quietly become the odd man out.
That’s where Detroit enters the chat.
In Petzold’s scenario, Holliday steps in as the Tigers’ everyday shortstop, offering years of control (through 2030) and massive upside. Yes, he’s looked overmatched at times. Yes, he still needs developmental reps. But how often does a 22-year-old potential superstar become available?
This is the kind of talent you normally build around, not acquire in a trade.
Cade Povich: Skubal’s Rotation Replacement
While no one replaces Tarik Skubal, lefty Cade Povich would at least give Detroit a young, controllable arm to plug into the rotation.
Povich, 25, has posted a 5.20 ERA with a 9.2% walk rate and 22.3% strikeout rate across 192 MLB innings. Inconsistent? Yes. Intriguing? Also yes.
He’s shown flashes of mid-rotation ability and, like Holliday, is under team control until after the 2030 season. The Tigers wouldn’t get an ace in return, let’s be realistic, but they would get an MLB-ready starter to keep the rotation afloat.
Trey Gibson: The Sleeper Prospect
If Holliday is the star of the deal, Trey Gibson is the potential steal.
Ranked No. 12 in Baltimore’s system, Gibson is quietly one of the most underrated pitching prospects in baseball. He’s a power right-hander with legit swing-and-miss breaking balls and projects as a future starter.
But the Tigers could fast-track him.
Petzold notes that Gibson could debut as early as late 2026, likely as a reliever pushing for a postseason roster spot. Detroit loves pitchers with high-octane stuff, and Gibson checks that box in Sharpie.
Reed Trimble: Outfield Depth for Toledo
Rounding out the return is outfielder Reed Trimble, a switch-hitter who reached Triple-A in 2025 and hit .259 with 5 HR and a .755 OPS in 30 games.
While not ranked among Baltimore’s top 30 prospects, the Orioles added Trimble to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, which says plenty about how they view his trajectory.
For the Tigers, Trimble becomes immediate outfield depth in Toledo and a potential fourth-outfielder candidate in the coming years.
Would Detroit Actually Do This?
Here’s the million-dollar (or perhaps $400-million-dollar) question:
Would the Tigers really trade Tarik Skubal?
President of baseball operations Scott Harris has already stated that he doesn’t believe in “untouchables,” and Detroit has listened on Skubal at the Winter Meetings. Not shopped him, but listened.
This package would force the Tigers to think long and hard.
A former No. 1 prospect. Two controllable pitchers. A depth outfielder.
Eight years of Holliday vs. two years of Skubal.
A full franchise reset vs. a World Series push.
It’s the kind of trade that reshapes a franchise… for better or worse.
Final Thoughts
If the Tigers ever move Tarik Skubal, and there’s no guarantee they will, this is the type of return fans should expect. Jackson Holliday is the rare player talented enough to headline a Skubal trade, and Baltimore is one of the few clubs with both the prospects and the motivation to make such a splash.
For now, this is just a proposal. But in a winter where nothing seems off the table, it’s hard to ignore how real this could feel.
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