It’s been a summer of Juan Soto and the NYM deal, where he left behind the Yankees despite a similar offer. Now, can the Yankees take the sweet revenge of that blockbuster deal? Well, both clubs are desperate to bag potential arms and are eyeing one name. And that is Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal will be entering free agency after the 2026 season as the most coveted pitcher on the market. The left-hander’s projected deal hovers around $400 million, a figure that reflects his dominance and durability. With Scott Boras representing him, the bidding war promises to be fierce. Teams know they’re not just paying for talent—they’re paying for a proven ace who can anchor a rotation for years. The Mets have shown interest, and an insider voice is suggesting that the Yankees must be eyeing him, too.

Jim Bowden laid out the Yankees’ path forward when asked about Skubal is someone the ballclub looks forward to. “I think you try to trade for him as long as you can sign him at the time of the trade,“ Bowden said. He noted that while Boras typically prefers free agency, the Yankees wouldn’t hesitate to offer more than Garrett Cole’s contract, making Skubal the “highest-paid pitcher in baseball history.”

Bowden suggested a package including Jasson Dominguez, Luis Gil, and top infield prospect Arias. “That’s a huge package that Detroit could not say no to,” he explained. With this potential for Skubal to join Cole, Carlos Rodon, and others, Bowden declared, “You can put the champagne on ice.”

The New York Yankees had a hard time on the mound in 2025. Their team’s regular-season ERA was about 3.61. The rotation wasn’t very consistent after Gerrit Cole, and the bullpen gave up leads at important times. At the same time, Tarik Skubal was the best player for the Detroit Tigers in 2025. He had a 2.21 ERA in 195.1 innings and struck out 241 batters. His WHIP of 0.89 and league-leading rates show that he was not just lucky.

Getting Skubal would change the Yankees right away. The lineup still has power, and adding an ace fixes the big problem. The Yankees and Mets aren’t just competing for pitching. The $147M bat who opted for free agency when the NYM regular season ended in a disappointing way could also head to the Bronx.

Alonso to the Bronx? Yankees consider big move at first base

The Yankees are understandably looking for enhancements in the power market. Since the rivalry story is still fresh, the next big trade could come from the same city that started the summer talks.

Last season, Pete Alonso hit 38 home runs, drove in 126 runs, and had a 141 wRC+. He is still one of baseball’s most reliable power hitters. At 30 years old and having played more than 150 games a year, he is both productive and durable. Reports currently say that the Yankees are a legitimate contender, especially because they are still looking for ways to add additional right-handed power to their lineup.

Alonso is likely to look for a substantial multi-year deal in free agency, and estimates put his agreement at approximately $147 million. For him, the most important thing is getting a contract that shows how consistent he is and how valuable he is in the middle order. This fits with what the Yankees want to do, which is add established run production without relying only on streaky results or questionable internal growth.

The consequences are important. Adding Alonso would make the Yankees’ core stronger and make them less reliant on just one or two big batters. But it also makes you think about how well the players fit together. The front office has to decide if adding elite power is worth the money, positional redundancy, and long-term flexibility issues that come with it, as first base and DH are already full.

This offseason, the drama will rise in the Big Apple at least. The Bronx might end up pulling a Juan Soto-style heist on the very clubhouse that did the same to them.