The Detroit Tigers are heading for what should be a massive Tarik Skubal trade. The guy has won back-to-back Cy Young awards. He is maybe the best pitcher alive right now. And he is about to hit free agency after this season. That is usually the kind of situation that forces a team to deal their star for a monster return. But MLB insider Bob Nightengale has a different read on the whole thing.
Nightengale went on Foul Territory and dropped an opinion that goes against the usual trade deadline hype. He thinks the asking price for Skubal might not be as insane as everyone assumes. And he specifically thinks the Atlanta Braves could be the team that swoops in while nobody is looking.
“Let’s face it, the Dodgers don’t need him, they’re doing quite well without him,” Nightengale said. “The Yankees, they don’t need him. They got Max Fried coming back. Both teams, it would be a luxury. That way, it’s wide open… I don’t think the price tag is going to be as high as people think. That’s why I think Atlanta kind of lays low in the weeds here and have a good chance to grab this guy. I think you put him on Atlanta’s team, they got a chance to win it all.”
Why the Price Might Be Lower Than You Think
Here is the thing about rentals. Skubal is only under team control through October. Two months of any pitcher is still incredibly valuable but it is not the same as getting four or five years of control. Teams have to weigh whether they want to empty their farm system for a guy who could walk right after the season.
The Tigers front office knows this. They will still ask for a huge haul because that is their job. But Nightengale is suggesting that the actual trade market might force Detroit to accept something closer to a fair deal than a total robbery. That is rare talk for a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber. Most analysts expect the Tigers to cash in for multiple top prospects.
Still, a lower price tag does not mean cheap. The guy is the reigning Cy Young winner and is pitching like it again this year. He has a 2.31 ERA and is striking out over 10 batters per nine innings. Even as a rental, that is not going to come free.
Atlanta Makes a Lot of Sense
The Braves are an obvious fit. Their rotation has been banged up and inconsistent. Spencer Strider is out for the year. Max Fried left in free agency. Atlanta still has a talented lineup but they need another top-end arm to make a real run at the Phillies and whoever comes out of the National League.
Skubal would slot in as the ace immediately. He would give them a true Game 1 starter for any playoff series. And if Nightengale is right about the price, Atlanta could swing this without gutting their entire prospect pool.
No deal is done yet. The Tigers have not tipped their hand publicly. But the whispers around the league are getting louder. And the Braves are the kind of team that can afford to wait, let the market settle, and strike when nobody expects it.
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