The New York Yankees may have a strong rotation anchored by Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, and Carlos Rodon, but acquiring Tarik Skubal takes the pitching staff from formidable to historic. To snap their World Series drought since 2009, the Yankees shouldn’t be thinking about giving up a few top prospects to land a name like Skubal, but would they agree to give up names like George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange? The Detroit Tigers are reportedly targeting these two, as per Jon Heyman.

“According to Jon Heyman, the Tigers are heavily targeting the Yankees’ top prospects, George Lombard Jr. and Carlos Lagrange,” Sleeper Yankees shared via X.

The New York Post also confirmed that the Tigers are looking for “controllable pitching and athletic position players close to big league-ready” in any trade. They will seek around 2 elite prospects who should have a pitcher. For the Yankees, the Tigers are seeking Lombard and Lagrange.

Giving away Lombard and Lagrange may sound like overkill. Lombard, baseball’s No. 18 overall prospect, has moved rapidly through the minor leagues, earning a promotion to Triple-A on April 28, 2026, after dominating Double-A. Across all MiLB levels in 2026, he is hitting .258 with 8 home runs and 12 stolen bases over 233 at-bats. The Yankees are reportedly seeing him as their future shortstop, replacing Anthony Volpe.

On the other hand, Lagrange is the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect. Since entering the relief role, he has 15 SOs and is increasingly seen as Camilo Doval’s replacement. So, both prospects have their specific role set with the Yankees. However, there’s another connection between Lombard and the Tigers. Lombard Jr.’s father, George Lombard Sr., is the current bench coach of the Tigers. Hence, the Tigers have all the negotiation chips to get the two Yankees prospects.

However, the question that remains is whether the Yankees give up these two names for Tarik Skubal.

The Yankees can take the example of the New York Knicks. Back in 2024, the Knicks made an unlikely move to bring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. He was taken for five first-round picks, which seemed like overkill back then. However, Bridges shouldered the burden of guarding the opposing team’s best offensive weapons, severely limiting high-profile stars like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, and Paul George. Result? The Knicks snapped a 53-year drought.

For the Yankees, giving up Lombard and Lagrange sounds like overkill, but Skubal could be the missing link to snap their 16-year World Series drought. However, focusing on Skubal only would not be beneficial. The Yankees have a few more needs to fulfil.

The Yankees are looking at plugging multiple gaps

Catcher is the biggest problem for the Yankees in 2026. The trio of Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra, and Ali Sánchez hit a combined .178 with a .541 OPS, ranking near the absolute bottom of the American League. This cratered production forced the front office to weigh desperate measures to fix the glaring hole. Moreover, the Yankees have been heavily reliant on left-handed hitters at the position. Opposing left-handed pitchers have completely neutralized this group, prompting the team to briefly recall Sánchez to add a right-handed bat.

The first name rumored for the catching role is Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins. Jeffers is the most highly desired option for New York, as his right-handed bat and offensive production would significantly improve their platoon splits. He is currently hitting .295 with 7 homers, which would be the best thing for the Yankees behind the home plate.

The Yankees’ infield also needs help. Eugenio Suarez has been heavily linked to the Yankees as an affordable, short-term upgrade at third base. Apart from this, they need to add relievers to support Doval. Trading Skubal could thus leave nothing for the Yankees for other positions.