The Chicago Cubs are exploring options to bolster their starting rotation ahead of the trade deadline and have at least evaluated a potential pursuit of Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, according to a report.
Patrick Mooney of The Athletic indicated that the Cubs have weighed making a serious run at Skubal as part of their broader efforts to upgrade the pitching staff.
Skubal delivered a strong outing in what could mark his last appearance with the Tigers on Wednesday. He logged 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs while recording six strikeouts. After blanking the opposition for six frames, he encountered difficulty in the seventh.
Relievers Kyle Finnegan and Drew Anderson then failed to protect a once-commanding 7-0 advantage, and Detroit ultimately fell 10-9 in 12 innings.
The Tigers have struggled of late, dropping two of three contests against the Baltimore Orioles following consecutive losses to close out a four-game series with the Kansas City Royals last week. Detroit sits at 51-58, seven games below the break-even mark. The club has an off day Thursday before heading to West Sacramento for a three-game series against the Athletics that could prove pivotal, though even a sweep might not prevent the team from becoming sellers.
Detroit currently occupies fourth place in the American League Central. The Tigers trail the division-leading Chicago White Sox by 5.5 games and sit 4.5 games outside the wild-card picture. A larger hurdle involves the volume of clubs standing ahead of them.
To climb into contention, Detroit would have to overtake Minnesota, Cleveland and the White Sox within the division or leapfrog five teams in the wild-card race. Reaching a .500 record would demand a 95-win pace the rest of the way. Securing 84 victories would require a 33-20 finish, equivalent to a 101-win clip. Club officials likely view the roster as stronger than the current mark suggests, yet a dismal May has left scant room for recovery.
Skubal’s track record requires little introduction. The left-hander owns back-to-back Cy Young Awards and continues to post elite numbers this season after an early May elbow procedure. He ranks among the three premier pitchers in baseball and could reasonably claim the top spot. No other available arm would influence an acquiring club’s World Series prospects as dramatically.
With free agency approaching and a potentially historic contract on the horizon, the odds of an extension appear virtually nonexistent. Any deal would involve a high-priced rental focused on a single postseason push.
Chicago clearly needs another starter capable of contributing in October. The organization has previously been linked to Reid Detmers, who remains under team control through arbitration in 2028. Mooney observed that the Cubs would favor a pitcher with multiple years of club control rather than a pure rental, yet they have not ruled out the latter possibility entirely.
Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga currently headline the Cubs’ rotation. Edward Cabrera is expected to return next month from a hamstring injury, though his lengthy medical history and uneven results when available raise questions. Ben Brown’s recovery from a neck strain remains uncertain.
The club designated Jameson Taillon for assignment earlier this week, creating an opening. Javier Assad is scheduled for a temporary start Thursday against St. Louis and would likely shift back to the bullpen should a trade materialize.
Chicago must decide whether to pursue the premier rental available in a campaign that appears destined for a three-game wild-card series. The Cubs trail the Milwaukee Brewers by six games in the National League Central.
FanGraphs projects only a 14 percent chance of capturing the division title. Starting Skubal in Game 1 of any series would offer a clear advantage, yet short series often hinge on slim margins.
The Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers have also been connected to Skubal. Each of those clubs leads its respective division and stands positioned for a first-round bye. Most contenders are expected to contact Detroit president of baseball operations Scott Harris in the coming days.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted Tuesday that additional teams began inquiring after the Tigers lost the series opener to Baltimore on Monday.
