Matt Johnson
Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal is closing in on a quick return from elbow surgery. However, with the Detroit Tigers struggling this season, MLB rumors continue to swirl about a potential deal.
USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale spoke to MLB executives who believe the bidding war for acquiring Skubal will come down to the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.
New York seems like a peculiar fit. Entering MLB games today, the Yankees’ rotation boasts the third-best ERA (3.24) in baseball. That’s with Gerrit Cole making his 2026 debut this past weekend and Max Fried currently on the injured list. When healthy, New York’s playoff rotation is already set with Cole, Fried, Cam Schlittler, and Carlos Rodón or Ryan Wethers.
Even the Padres seem like a tough match. While they are in dire need of a front-line starter, San Diego has one of the worst farm systems in MLB. Even with Skubal’s acquisition price being slightly lowered because he is a half-season rental, the Padres don’t have the prospect capital to outbid the Dodgers or the Blue Jays.
That would leave Los Angeles and Toronto as the likeliest options. The Dodgers already have one of the best MLB rotations in 2026, but the club might want another ace for its playoff rotation to pair with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Detroit will certainly hold onto Skubal for now, hoping it can dig itself out of the hole that started with a disastrous spiral in May. However, given the team is already 12 games below .500 and Skubal has shown no interest in signing an extension, a trade in July feels inevitable.
