Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is widely viewed as the top player who could potentially be available at the MLB trade deadline, but whether or not the Tigers actually move him remains to be seen.
Skubal is slated to hit free agency at season’s end, and the chances of Detroit re-signing him are slim to none. However, the Tigers — even at 40-50 — are not entirely out of the playoff race in the weak American League just yet.
A slide between now and Aug. 3 would almost certainly trigger a trade, though, and there would be no shortage of potential suitors should Detroit decide to place Skubal on the block.
While clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees will immediately be tabbed as the most likely landing spots, Jim Bowden of The Athletic has proposed a stunning fit for Skubal: the Tampa Bay Rays.
“The Tigers will have to actually make Skubal available, of course, but if he is, he’d be the best target for Tampa,” Bowden wrote.
The Rays are currently 52-36 and own the best record in the American League. They have stormed ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East, and Junior Caminero is stating his case for the AL MVP award with 26 home runs and a .939 OPS.
There is, however, some concern over whether or not Tampa Bay’s starting rotation can maintain its current level of production.
Nick Martinez has been the staff ace this season, owning a 2.61 ERA and 1.130 WHIP. Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax have been terrific, as well.
But is the Rays’ pitching sustainable?
One way for Tampa Bay to ensure that its starting rotation is solidified is by acquiring Skubal in a blockbuster trade, and the Rays have the goods to make it happen with an impressive farm system.
Whether or not Tampa would actually part ways with a substantial package for a pitcher who will almost certainly walk in the offseason, however, is the question.
Skubal missed some time this season after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. In 11 starts overall in 2026, he has logged a 3.15 ERA and 0.914 WHIP, averaging 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
The 29-year-old is the two-time reigning AL Cy Young award winner and could absolutely swing the league’s World Series odds if he gets dealt in the coming weeks.
