The New York Mets are mulling over whether to trade for Tarik Skubal now or wait until next offseason when he’ll be available via free agency. The Tigers, meanwhile, will reportedly remain in talks with suitors for their ace. Both parties understand that Skubal will command a high price. That may not worry the Mets, but to enjoy Skubal’s services, they will have to bear a priceless cost.

Apparently, David Stearns could potentially offer top pitching prospects Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat. Moreover, infielder/outfielder Jett Williams could also be on the table. On the major league side, SNY’s Andy Martino reports the Tigers have an eye on Brett Baty.

Tarik Skubal is widely regarded as a generational arm. If the Tigers were planning to keep him, their president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, had a chance to end all the trade chatter this week. Instead, he mentioned this week that there are no true “untouchables” on his roster.

That’s quite a haul for just one year of Skubal’s services. Joe DeMayo of SNY also has the same stance. “I don’t think the Mets can justify that for one year of Skubal.” He noted.

The Mets would have to give up a lot of young talent if they were to land Tarik Skubal. That means the Mets should wait for next season. They might be better off spending big that time rather than gutting their farm system now. As many insist, they should avoid the risk of Skubal leaving in free agency after 2026.

Within a span of a fortnight, the Mets have already lost three fan favorites. Edwin Díaz, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo will all be starting the next season in new uniforms. And now, the Mets are closely linked to Tarik Skubal largely because they have been focused on improving run prevention. There’s no better way to do so than by adding one of the top starting pitchers of the league. However, the New York fans don’t want it at the cost of the potential future faces of the franchise.

Mets fans oppose trading top prospects for Tarik Skubal

Many raised similar concerns. “I can’t see a justification for trading for a rental.” Tarik Skubal is undoubtedly one of the highly coveted pitchers in the market. If the Mets trade him for their top young talent core, fans are sure to object.

Jonah Tong, in particular, has risen through the Mets’ farm system and quickly become one of the best pitching prospects in the league. Meanwhile, Brandon Sproat also finished the season on decent numbers. In his final 11 Triple-A outings, he posted a 2.44 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, and 10.7 K/9.

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That’s why this idea alone made little to no sense to Mets fans. “I don’t know why we would build our farm up to tear it down for 1 year of Skubal.”

Many insisted that it’ll not be the right time to trade for Detroit’s ace now. “The Mets would be out of their mind to trade for Skubal now.” Of course, the Mets can make a move next season if required.

“I don’t think Stearns would make that move without confidence that they’ll extend him before the season.” Another fan noted. For the record, extension projections for Tarik Skubal exceed $400 million over 10+ years, per ESPN analysis. And per reports, the Mets are hesitant to offer long-term contracts to pitchers.

Clearly, the team and their fanbase are at odds on this one. “The Mets would be idiots to make this deal.” Another fan frustratingly quipped.

David Stearns still has some time before a final decision is needed.