Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal has been one of the biggest names in trade deadline discussions in 2026. With the All-Star festivities now in the rearview, all the attention will be on the trade deadline and the Tigers' stance on their $32M ace.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal noted that the Detroit Tigers are “not expected” to trade Tarik Skubal; however, it hasn’t been made official. Boston Red Sox analyst Jared Carrabis highlighted the post, comparing the Los Angeles Angels' regret on not trading Shohei Ohtani to the Tigers-Skubal situation.

So far, the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta Braves and the Tampa Bay Rays are the strongest suitors for Tarik Skubal. Several insiders have also pointed to the Los Angeles Dodgers as the wildcard team in this race.

While it's not confirmed whether the Tigers will trade Skubal, many tival executives believe they should make the 29-year-old available despite the team’s recent strong run in the AL. The Angels lost Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers after they failed to reach the playoffs and had to let him go unsigned.

While many believe trading Tarik Skubal rather than letting him walk away in the offseason is a better choice, MLB insider Buster Olney thinks otherwise. He believes that rather than trading, the Detroit Tigers should add more players to strengthen their chances for the postseason race.

On the other hand, popular radio personality Chris Russo said that Skubal is “not going to re-sign with the Tigers under any circumstances.” He added that “it’s almost stupid” not to trade him, given Skubal could command a historic $400M contract in free agency.

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