The Yankees are playing solid baseball this season. But solid doesn’t win rings in the Bronx, and there are still holes to fill — behind the plate, in the bullpen, and maybe even in the rotation. That’s where Tarik Skubal comes in, at least according to Gary Sheffield Jr.
Sheffield, who hosts the Yankees Unloaded podcast, took to X (formerly Twitter) this week to argue that the team should be all-in on the Detroit Tigers’ ace, despite some fans pushing back. He called out what he sees as a quiet reluctance among the fanbase.
“The ‘we don’t need Tarik Skubal’ crowd is oddly quiet. Yes we need a catcher and pen. The point remains just as strong that Cam Schlittler needs a running mate and it’s not the guy that was shelled during last year’s postseason series with Toronto,” Sheffield wrote.
The response was immediate. One fan fired back, saying Gerrit Cole hasn’t looked like himself, the bullpen needs arms, and Skubal isn’t worth mortgaging the future for a three-month rental. “Skubal still aint the answer,” they wrote, also calling for the team to move on from shortstop Anthony Volpe.
But Sheffield didn’t budge. He doubled down: “Skubal is the answer, actually. Him being a rental does not matter. If you don’t want him to be a rental re-sign him when the lockout concludes. That simple.”
Here’s the thing about Skubal — and there’s no debate on this part. He’s legit. The left-hander has been one of the best pitchers in baseball when healthy, with a wipeout changeup and the kind of command that makes scouts drool. If the Tigers are willing to move him, and the price isn’t insane, you at least make the call.
The question is whether Skubal would actually re-sign with whatever team trades for him. That’s the risk. Rentals don’t always work out. Just ask the Mets about Justin Verlander or the Padres about Juan Soto. But Sheffield’s point is that you don’t worry about the exit before you’ve even walked through the door. If you can get a frontline starter in his prime, you do it and figure out the extension later.
For the Yankees, the calculus is a little different than most teams. They have the prospects to make a deal. They have the payroll flexibility to keep Skubal around. And they have a rotation that’s been good but not dominant. Gerrit Cole is Gerrit Cole, but Carlos Rodón has been inconsistent and Nestor Cortes is coming off an injury. Adding Skubal would give them a legit one-two punch at the top, assuming Cole rounds into form.
Fans online are split. Some see it as the move that puts the Yankees over the top. Others worry about giving up young talent — especially with the catcher and bullpen issues still unresolved. But Sheffield isn’t alone in thinking Skubal could be the difference between an early playoff exit and a World Series run.
The trade deadline is still weeks away. But the conversation is already heating up.
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