With the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaching and their rotation still searching for stability, the Chicago Cubs could make a bold push for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal by offering a prospect-heavy package built around their top pitching prospect and high-upside position players.
Skubal, the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner, remains the most prominent name available this summer. The left-hander is in the final year of arbitration control and is set to become a free agent after the season. He has posted a 2.70 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 90 innings this year after returning from minor elbow surgery in June.
The Tigers, who sit on the fringe of the American League playoff picture, have indicated they would only move Skubal if they receive a controllable starting pitcher plus quality prospects that allow them to remain competitive in 2026 while building for the future. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has made clear that adding frontline pitching is the club’s top priority after a season plagued by injuries to the rotation.
One potential framework that could satisfy Detroit involves right-hander Jaxon Wiggins, currently ranked among the Cubs’ top prospects and viewed as major league-ready in the near term, along with outfielder Josiah Hartshorn and shortstop Jefferson Rojas. The package could also include utility prospect James Triantos and a lower-level arm or two to provide additional depth.
Wiggins, a tall right-hander with a mid-90s fastball and improving secondary pitches, would give the Tigers an immediate or near-term rotation piece to replace Skubal’s innings. Hartshorn and Rojas rank as two of the highest-upside position players in Chicago’s system, addressing Detroit’s need for future everyday talent on the position-player side.
Such a deal would represent a significant investment by the Cubs, who have already acquired David Peterson earlier this summer to shore up their staff. Adding Skubal would instantly give Chicago one of the best pitchers in baseball for a postseason push while the club sits six games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.
Analysts note that the Cubs’ farm system, which leans heavily toward hitters, aligns reasonably well with Detroit’s reported preferences. The Tigers have a strong group of infield prospects but could use more outfield talent and pitching depth, areas where Hartshorn and Wiggins would provide value.
There are clear risks on both sides.
For Chicago, surrendering multiple top-10 organizational prospects for a two-month rental carries long-term cost, especially if Skubal leaves in free agency.
For Detroit, trading away a proven ace could weaken an already precarious playoff bid in a weak American League.
Still, the Cubs’ combination of competitive urgency and available prospect capital makes them a plausible suitor if the Tigers decide to engage. Rival executives have linked several contenders to Skubal, but few match Chicago’s combination of need and trade chips quite as directly.
Any serious talks would need to progress quickly. The deadline is less than two weeks away, and Skubal is scheduled to continue making starts for Detroit in the interim.
Whether Hoyer is willing to meet the high asking price remains to be seen, but a package centered on Wiggins, Hartshorn and Rojas offers one realistic path for the Cubs to land the biggest prize on the market.
