One AL Exec Thinks a Tarik Skubal Trade Would Cost ‘Outrageous’ Returns. He Might Be Right.

The Tigers have a problem most bad teams would love to have. They’ve got baseball’s best pitcher on their roster, maybe the single most valuable trade chip in the league right now, and they can’t figure out whether to cash him in or hold on for dear life.

Tarik Skubal is still in Detroit as the second half gets going. That alone feels like a minor miracle given how many contenders are desperate for an ace. But according to a National League executive who talked to The Athletic, the asking price might be the real reason he’s still wearing a Tigers uniform.

“He might get traded, but the early asks are going to be outrageous. And no one’s going to pay that,” the exec said. “What the Cubs did to get Chapman, they were trying to break a 108-year curse. They were definitely overly aggressive. That kind of deal is not really happening anymore, especially going into a new CBA.”

Translation: Detroit wants a haul that would make the Aroldis Chapman trade to the Cubs in 2016 look reasonable. And the exec is basically saying nobody’s that desperate right now. Not even a team that thinks it’s one arm away from a ring.

The Dodgers are the name that keeps popping up. They have the prospects to make a deal work. They also have a track record of getting the guy they want. But there’s a catch that’s been buried under all the trade speculation.

Skubal’s health is the elephant in every meeting

Skubal came back from an arm injury this season and he’s been dominant. His stuff is filthy. The strikeouts are there. But he hasn’t gone deep into games. Not once since the return. That’s a red flag waving in a stiff breeze for any front office thinking about surrendering multiple top prospects.

Teams are scared. It’s that simple. You don’t trade the farm for a guy who might be on a pitch count for the rest of the year. You don’t empty your system for a rental who might need Tommy John surgery the second he lands in a new city.

Detroit is sitting at 44-52. That’s bad, but it’s not historically bad. They’re only 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot. The Mariners are right there, within striking distance. So the Tigers have to ask themselves a real question: Do they try to sneak into the playoffs, or do they tear it down and build for next year?

That question has Skubal’s name written all over it. If they think they can make a run, he stays. If they think this roster is a mirage, he’s the most valuable asset they’ll ever have to trade. And the clock is ticking.

The exec’s point about the new CBA is worth remembering too. The next labor deal is coming. Teams are already acting like they’re saving their bullets. Nobody wants to be the team that paid a king’s ransom for a pitcher who gets hurt while other clubs sit back and laugh.

So Detroit waits. They listen. They ask for the moon. And maybe someone blinks before the deadline. Or maybe Skubal stays in a Tigers uniform all year and they figure it out in the winter. Either way, it’s the best drama baseball has right now.