RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 3 sourcesTarik Skubal's 150th career start with the Detroit Tigers won't be like any before it because there's growing uncertainty about whether he'll be wearing the same uniform the next time he takes the mound. The 2026 MLB trade deadline will have passed when Skubal is next scheduled to pitch, and by then the Tigers' brass will have decided whether to keep their 29-year-old ace for a playoff push or make him the most coveted player available.
Detroit risks losing him to another team without getting the substantial prospect haul arguably the best pitcher in baseball would command if traded before the Aug. 3 deadline .
Those are the stakes Wednesday, July 29 at Comerica Park, when the Tigers close a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles . The Tigers snapped a three-game skid with a 14-0 win on Tuesday, but they remain 3½ games back (and behind four teams) in the race for the final AL wild-card spot. It's a precarious spot since Skubal will be a free agent after this season.
Here's more on Skubal's contract situation, what teams are considered serious potential landing spots for him ahead of the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and how he's performing this season for the Tigers:
MLB TRADE DEADLINE 2026: 9 burning questions, including the teams willing to go all-in
Tarik Skubal contract details
Skubal is eligible for free agency after the 2026 season and his looming contract situation is why the Tigers are considering a trade.
Skubal is pitching for the Tigers this year on a 1-year, $32-million contract after he was awarded a record arbitration salary by a three-person panel in February 2026. He earned $10.15 million during the 2025 season when he won the AL Cy Young Award for the second year in a row.
Tarik Skubal stats
Skubal enters Wednesday's game with a 7-5 record and 2.70 earned run average over 15 starts and 90 innings during the 2026 MLB season. Skubal had a career-best ERA of 2.21 in 2025 when he finished with a 13-6 record. His ERA was 2.39 in 2024 when he had a career-best 18-4 record and won the first of his two-straight AL Cy Young Awards.
Tarik Skubal trade rumors and landing spots
Skubal's list of potential suitors fall into two groups, both of which feature World Series contenders, if the Tigers ultimately decide to make a trade ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline. There will be MLB teams that want to trade for Skubal as a short-term rental for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. There are also teams that could trade for the lefty in hopes of also getting the inside track on locking up the ace on a new long-term contract.
Here are six possible landing spots for a Skubal trade:
Los Angeles Dodgers
Tampa Bay Rays
Milwaukee Brewers
Atlanta Braves
New York Yankees
Chicago Cubs
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal trade rumors: Contract details, stats for Tigers' Cy Young ace
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