The New York Mets will inquire about Tarik Skubal if the Detroit Tigers float him on the trade market this winter. That is common sense.
The 28-year-old southpaw is currently the best pitcher in baseball and is on the verge of winning his second straight American League Cy Young Award. He went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.891 WHIP, and 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings pitched. Since the start of the 2023 season, he is 38-13 with a 2.39 ERA and 571 strikeouts in 77 starts (467.2 innings pitched).
Under former Tigers owner, the late Mike Ilitch, Skubal would be locked up for the foreseeable future, just as he did with Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. But his son, Christopher, is running the show now, and there is trouble on the horizon — kind of like another father-son ownership inheritance that we have seen in the Bronx.
Skubal will be a free agent following the 2026 season, and Ilitch has shown little urgency to extend his franchise cornerstone. A report from Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press revealed that Detroit’s offer on an extension last winter was for four years and under $100 million, which is woefully short of what he is worth.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated that Skubal and his camp will pursue a $400 million deal.
When asked about the prospects of extending Skubal last month, Ilitch simply said, “We’re in 2025 right now.”
President of baseball operations Scott Harris did not provide much clarity, either, last Monday.
“I’ve kind of learned over time, especially with this question, that general questions tend to get chopped up and forced into narratives,” he said. “I can’t comment on our players being traded, I can’t comment on free agents, and I can’t comment on other teams’ players. So I’m going to respond by just not actually commenting on it.”
That does not bode well for the Tigers, who have acted like a mid-market club since Christopher Ilitch took over. While trading Skubal would bring in a king’s ransom, it is also a confession that the owner is OK with his franchise taking a step back after being one of the best teams in the American League for most of the season before a late collapse fumbled away the AL Central title. They still defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the Wild Card Series before falling to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
It could have been so much more ugly if there was no Skubal. The ace allowed just four earned runs on 10 hits in 20.2 innings pitched this postseason (1.74 ERA) with 36 strikeouts compared to just four walks. Remarkably enough, Detroit managed to lose two of those three starts.
If Ilitch, Harris, and the Tigers see no realistic shot of extending or re-signing Skubal, they’re going to go to the trade market either this winter of at the 2026 trade deadline, where there will be no shortage of suitors.
The Mets need an arm like Skubal’s after their rotation crashed and burned during their spectacular, three-month-long collapse. The only viable arms to work with right now are top prospect Nolan McLean, who dazzled in his two-month debut, and Clay Holmes as a mid-to-lower-rotation option.
David Peterson went from All-Star to liability, Sean Manaea never got over the oblique injury that delayed his 2025 start to July, and Kodai Senga lost his mechanics — and seemingly his mojo — after a mid-June hamstring injury that is being regarded as the flashpoint of the Mets’ collapse.
A pursuit of Skubal would force president of baseball operations David Stearns to abandon his philosophy of not spending big on starting pitching. It would start by parting with some blue-chip prospects that he has understandably been hesitant to part with.
Understanding that McLean is likely off the table in any potential trade talk, the Mets would have to offer one of Jonah Tong or Brandon Sproat, along with one of their other top prospects, outfielder Carson Benge (ranked No. 2 by MLB.com) and infielder/outfielder Jett Williams (No. 3). Offering another bat like Mark Vientos, who is a year removed from a 27-home-run season, is another option to add to the package with the thought that a fresh start and consistent playing time could unlock a new level to his game.
However, according to SNY’s Andy Martino, the Tigers have expressed interest in Brett Baty in the past, and the 25-year-old finally showed that he could be the Mets’ everyday third baseman.
