RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 3 sourcesThe Detroit Tigers may still trade Tarik Skubal before Monday’s deadline, but they apparently have not opened the bidding yet.
According to Ken Rosenthal and Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic , Detroit had not seriously engaged interested clubs in Skubal trade discussions as of Friday afternoon. Two teams with interest in the Tigers ace reportedly had not entered substantive talks with the organization.
That does not mean Skubal is staying.
It does suggest Scott Harris is comfortable waiting.
Tigers Are Not Rushing the Skubal Market
Detroit knows the market will form quickly once it signals that Skubal is available.
Contenders do not need to be convinced of his value. Skubal is one of baseball’s premier starting pitchers, a back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner and the type of arm capable of changing an entire postseason race.
The Tigers can afford to hold their position for now.
The trade deadline does not arrive until Monday at 6 p.m. ET. Once Detroit begins actively requesting offers, calls should come from nearly every contender with the prospect capital to make a serious run.
Waiting also protects the Tigers from appearing too eager.
If Harris contacts clubs too soon, interested executives may believe Detroit has already decided it must trade Skubal. By allowing teams to come to him, Harris preserves leverage and keeps every option open.
Holding Skubal Still Appears Possible
The report leaves open the possibility that Skubal remains a Tiger after the deadline.
Detroit enters its weekend series in Sacramento with a 51-58 record. The Tigers sit 6½ games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and 4½ games outside the final wild-card position.
Their playoff chances are fading, but they are not gone. FanGraphs placed Detroit’s postseason odds at 25.3 percent entering the weekend.
That is not a comfortable position for a buyer. It is also not quite hopeless enough to make trading Skubal automatic.
Keeping him would allow the Tigers to continue chasing October while postponing the franchise’s biggest decision. Detroit could revisit Skubal’s future during the offseason, when more teams might have payroll flexibility and a larger pool of prospects available.
A Trade Still Feels More Likely Than Not
Even with Detroit holding back, Skubal’s departure remains a legitimate possibility.
The Tigers are below .500, chasing several teams and running out of time. If Harris receives a package built around elite, near-major-league talent, the temptation to reshape the roster could become too strong to ignore.
The key is that Detroit does not appear willing to force a deal.
That matters.
Trading Skubal for anything less than a franchise-altering return would be difficult to defend. He is not an expiring middle reliever or a veteran role player. He is the best pitcher Detroit has developed in years and the face of its rotation.
If the Tigers move him, another club will have to pay accordingly.
Bottom Line
The Detroit Tigers reportedly have not seriously contacted teams about trading Tarik Skubal.
That could mean Harris is waiting for interested clubs to reveal their best offers. It could also mean Detroit remains more open to keeping its ace than the national conversation suggests.
The deadline pressure will increase quickly over the weekend.
For now, Skubal is still a Tiger, and Detroit has not officially opened the auction.
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