The Detroit Tigers are quickly approaching the trade deadline. As the team continues to weigh out their options, one of their premier pitchers, Tarik Skubal, continues to see his name get thrown around. After his last start, he claimed to have some “extra motivation” but would not get into detail about what it was with the media.
It's likely a bit of fuel on the fire for Tarik Skubal, who was at the forefront of trade rumors. Many seem to think the Detroit Tigers are going to be looking to ship out Skubal to re-coup some prospects. Fans took to social media to comment on the matter, seeming that General Manager (GM) Al Avila would pull the trigger on a Skubal deal.
Whether it's a true interest in moving Skubal or a thought that Avila is going to unload and rebuild the rebuild, there is no situation where moving Skubal is smart. The Tigers are in a rebuild; whether Chris Ilitch claims it's over or not, the team is not out of the woods.
Skubal needs to be kept around. The Tigers need to be smart, keeping Skubal to build around. Many fans seem to undervalue Skubal, referencing him as “not an ace” and “a below average starter.” Even if Skubal sputtered after a red-hot start, he is the team's de facto ace.
There seems to be some confusion about what Skubal means to this team, with some feeling that he's an expendable prospect that the team can move forward without. This is a ludicrous take. The only way the Tigers should be moving Skubal is if they are acquiring Juan Soto or another generational talent where they can afford to sacrifice a big name.
Detroit Tigers need to keep Tarik Skubal.
The Tigers need pieces they can build around. As the team continues to work through a rebuild that many thought was over, they are in a position where they need to continue building out the roster and pitching staff once again. Skubal may not be some highly coveted ace heading for a Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer mega-contract, but he's got the stuff.
Skubal has the makings of a no.2 or no.3 starter who can help be an anchor in the rotation, following up the stud no.1 arm. For the Tigers, the hope is that this is Casey Mize. Getting very hypothetical, the team also gets Spencer Turnbull back in 2023, leaving the top of the rotation in a much better spot.
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For that exact reason, some might want to move Skubal with the assumption that he can be replaced in the rotation. Why would anyone want to replace Skubal, a 25-year-old southpaw, with elite stuff and the makings of a big-leaguer starter?
Especially if these said, fans want to send away Skubal, getting two-to-three mid-range prospects in return, then having to bank on them to be something. Thus, putting the rebuild even further in reverse. It's tough to see the state of the Tigers rebuild and then support a Skubal trade.
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Anyone wanting to “get what we can” for Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline is signing the team up for an even longer rebuild. Moving Skubal is silly; let's just call it like it is. It has to be avoided at all costs.
