Skubal Could Be Shopped at Winter Meetings

Tarik Skubal — Detroit’s dominant left‑hander and likely back‑to‑back AL Cy Young candidate — is entering the final year before free agency amid a large contract gap with the Tigers, prompting reports the club could shop him at the Winter Meetings. Multiple contenders have been linked (Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Red Sox, Padres, Phillies and Blue Jays), with clubs viewing even a one‑year rental as potentially franchise‑altering. League executives say any deal would demand an extraordinary return — commonly described as “two or three” Top‑100 prospects or a package exceeding what Milwaukee received for Corbin Burnes. Skubal is projected to command a $400M+ long‑term contract, complicating Detroit’s decision to extend or trade him for controllable assets. Still, some MLB executives doubt the Tigers will move their homegrown ace because of fan backlash and immediate competitive impact, so a blockbuster swap remains possible but uncertain.