Trading for Detroit Tigers superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal would certainly energize New York Yankees fans.
Though the rotation depth chart looks great on paper for the Yankees, there’s some uncertainty surrounding Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón after their surgeries, and for as incredible as he was in the playoffs, Cam Schlittler still has less than 100 innings under his belt.
The idea that the back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner could even be available is reason enough for any team to inquire about what it would take to land him. But it’s only for one guaranteed year, and the Yankees know better than anyone that trading for a Scott Boras client with a year to go before free agency gives you no possibility of a hometown discount.
Before worrying about suffering the same fate as they did with Juan Soto, though, the Yankees have to know whether acquiring Skubal is even feasible. If one insider’s projected trade package is accurate, it’s tough to predict how the front office might feel.
On Thursday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic projected a Skubal trade package for the Yankees that included four players headed to Detroit: outfielder Spencer Jones and right-handed pitchers Carlos Lagrange, Will Warren, and Bryce Cunningham.
“(The Yankees’) rotation is a strength but adding Skubal would keep the rotation elite while Cole and Rodón are out and would give them a year to make a case to Skubal as to why he should re-sign with them,” wrote Bowden. “Their similar gamble with Soto didn’t pay off with an extension, but it did result in a World Series trip, which isn’t a bad consolation.
“The Tigers have several dynamic position player prospects nearing the big leagues, like Max Clark and Kevin McGoningle, and Jones would be another potential big bat for Detroit. Jones was added to the Yankees’ 40-man roster this week ahead of the Rule 5 draft.”
Beyond Jones, who has as high a ceiling as any prospect in baseball if he can cut down his strikeout rate a bit, the Yankees would be sending three very talented pitchers to Detroit, headlined by Lagrange, who was routinely throwing over 100 mph this year and struck out 168 batters in 120 innings.
Detroit’s hand may have to be forced in order to pry Skubal loose, and it’s hard to say if this offer rises to the level it would require, because there’s not a slam-dunk future star included. But the sheer volume of tantalizing talent is undeniable, so it shouldn’t be shocking at this point to see a deal like this get the job done.
More MLB: Mets Could Lose Former 1st-Rounder After Latest Round of Roster Moves
Read the full article here
