Dave Roberts might be speaking hypothetically, but his latest comments have surely intensified the conversation about Tarik Skubal’s tenure in Detroit. The Detroit Tigers are struggling this season, and trade rumors surrounding the ace have been there for some time. If anything, his recent absence has further fueled the noise. 

“They would go ballistic, but we would have the prospect capital to do that. We are one of the teams that could do that with the Tigers,” Bob Nightengale quoted the Los Angeles Dodgers manager on the possibility of LA going for Skubal. 

Tarik Skubal made his MLB debut with the Tigers in 2020, and very quickly, he became the face of the franchise.

Two back-to-back (2024-25) Cy Young Awards and the Triple Crown in 2024 established him as an ace. But currently, Skubal is on his one-year, $32 million extension with Detroit. This means he will enter free agency at the end of this season. And that’s why all the trade speculations are circulating him lately. 

His recent injury further boosted the rumors.

Skubal underwent a minimally invasive nanoscope surgery on his left throwing elbow to remove floating loose bodies. The Tigers placed him on a 15-day IL on May 4, and he has yet to return. 

But more importantly, when Skubal left the team for his surgery, Detroit was 18-17. Since then, the team has completely collapsed.

Their 21 loses from the past 26 without Skubal has forced Detroit to consider selling. They dropped from the top of the AL Central all the way down to fourth place. Experts believe that if Detroit cannot fix its season soon, it will start trading players before the deadline.

Trading top pitchers is nothing new for Detroit.

The team often deals its best arms to rebuild. For example, they traded Justin Verlander to the Astros in 2017. They also traded away David Price in 2015.

And it’s exactly the point that drove Roberts to speak so confidently about the trade possibility. Besides, with his resume, Skubal is expected to generate enormous interest. Yet, most analysts and executives are overlooking one point. 

Tarik Skubal’s Detroit ties complicate an already difficult decision

Skubal is a homegrown star for the Tigers. He was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2017, but he never joined the Arizona side despite hailing from Kingman. He joined the Tigers after they drafted him in 2018. His dominance in the minors led to his rapid ascent to the MLB in 2020. And the ace has earned all his accolades wearing the Tigers jersey only. 

Skubal even left the national camp earlier this year in the middle of WBC 2026. He had to defend himself to the American fans who accused him of ditching his country for his club. The 29-year-old prioritized Detroit for the upcoming MLB season. And now, he has refrained from commenting on his extension. 

“There is no offer, and there won’t be an offer until the end of the season,” Skubal noted. “My focus is on playing baseball and winning this year. I’ll deal with the contract stuff at the end of the year, and then we’ll kind of see. And that’s fine. It’s their decision.”

However, there’s a Scott Boras factor that we can’t ignore.

The same super agent who helped Juan Soto bag a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets and A-Rod nab a 10-year, $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers also represents Skubal. Boras is known for his exceptional ability to help players maximize their market value.

Given that Skubal will enter free agency at the end of this year, he might get an exemplary deal for him. And the Dodgers, with a $400 million payroll according to FanGraphs, can be one of the biggest contenders. 

However, even if a trade doesn’t materialize, the Tigers might face difficulties in keeping the ace long-term. That’s where Dave Roberts’ comment goes beyond simple trade rumors. It highlights the reality that one of baseball’s most incredible arms might take center stage in a massive bidding war soon.