The New York Yankees have a familiar problem. They started fast, they’ve wobbled hard, and now the first half of the season is limping toward the finish line. Again. The trade deadline is coming, and the front office will be hunting for reinforcements. But there’s one name they need to cross off the list before Detroit even picks up the phone: Tarik Skubal.
Skubal has won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards. He came back from elbow surgery and somehow his fastball is even better than before. He’s the kind of arm that changes a franchise’s trajectory. The Tigers are buried in the AL Wild Card standings, so trade chatter is inevitable. And Detroit will ask for everything.
The Yankees have a well-documented problem developing their own first-round picks into stars. Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells have been underwhelming this year. Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr. are still question marks. That means the farm system doesn’t have much proven currency to trade away, and the few pieces that do have value — guys like Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler — are exactly the kind of young players New York needs to keep if they want to compete this season.
Skubal doesn’t have a contract extension in place. He’s a rental with an uncertain future. The Tigers are going to demand an enormous return, and Brian Cashman should hang up if Detroit asks for Rice or Schlittler. That’s not a negotiable point. That’s a hard no.
The Tigers will find a trade partner willing to pay the price. There are always teams desperate enough. The Yankees just shouldn’t be one of them.
The Yankees can address the rotation without emptying the farm
If Max Fried’s elbow keeps barking and Will Warren continues to look lost, starting pitching will be a need. But there are cheaper options on the market that don’t come with the same risk. Robbie Ray is a free agent at the end of the year, which drops his trade cost considerably. The Yankees usually prefer guys with multiple years of control, but Ray is a solid arm who can patch the rotation while Fried heals. He’s not Skubal, obviously. But he’s smart value.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have more urgent holes to fill. Their bullpen has been a disaster outside of closer David Bednar. Camilo Doval, Tim Hill and Jake Bird have all struggled badly in the first half. The Yankees have spent heavily on relievers at past deadlines, and they may have to do it again.
They also desperately need a right-handed hitting catcher. Austin Wells and JC Escarra have both been brutal at the plate this year. Ryan Jeffers is the biggest name available, but Tyler Stephenson out of Cincinnati would also be a significant upgrade. That’s where the trade assets should go — not into a monster deal for an ace who might walk in December.
The Yankees have needs and they will make moves. But Skubal is not the right gamble. The price is too high, the risk too real, and the roster has bigger problems that won’t be fixed by one pitcher’s arm.
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