If there’s one pitcher not named Paul Skenes who’s been absolutely electric on the mound this year, it’s Tarik Skubal. Why? Because over the last couple of seasons, Skubal has cemented himself as one of baseball’s elite starters. He has been a huge part of Detroit’s resurgence this year with a 13-6 record, a 2.21 ERA, and 241 strikeouts!

But here’s where it gets interesting…

According to The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen, the Tigers might need to think about trading him. Why? Because once he hits free agency after the 2026 season, he’s expected to become the highest-paid pitcher ever. That begs the question: should deep-pocketed teams like the Yankees or Mets make a move for him now? Well, WFAN’s Chris McMonigle has an unpopular opinion.

“I think the Mets or the Yankees trading for Skubal is a terrible idea…  I think the Mets aren’t doing it. And I think the Yankees would be insane to do it. You cannot trade. You cannot trade all of the prospects it’s going to take for one year of Skubal… Why would you trade for either a one-season or half a season at the deadline next year? Why would you trade top-level prospects for a guy that you’re going to have for one year and then have to pay $400, $500 million?”

Well, Tigers president Scott Harris was asked whether Detroit might trade Tarik Skubal this offseason, with Skubal heading into his final year of arbitration. “I can’t comment on players being traded,” Harris said. So, it’s pretty clear that the Tigers would only even think about moving Skubal if a team completely blew them away with an offer.

Now, that’s exactly what FanSided’s Christopher Kline tried to imagine, suggesting a blockbuster deal that would send Yankees prospects George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, Bryce Cunningham, and Henry Lalane to Detroit for Skubal. In other words, New York would have to empty the farm to land the superstar lefty.

The payoff? They’d enter next season with arguably the best rotation in baseball. But WFAN’s Chris McMonigle isn’t buying it…

He thinks giving up nearly all your top pitching prospects for just one year of Skubal is a bad move. In his view, the more brilliant play for the Yankees would be to hold off, keep their talent, and make a run at Skubal when he hits free agency instead. For example, in getting Juan Soto from the Padres in 2024, the Yankees traded away Michael King, Drew Thorpe, Jhony Brito, Randy Vásquez, and Kyle Higashioka. Result? Soto left for the Mets in just one year.

The Yankees need some help in the bullpen

Reportedly, Gerrit Cole is set to make his comeback from Tommy John surgery by next year. So, he’ll rejoin a rotation that already features Cy Young contenders Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. And with young arms like Will Warren, Cam Schlittler, and a recovering Clarke Schmidt also in the mix, the Yankees look pretty solid in the starting pitching department.

But what about their bullpen?

The bullpen, though, that’s another story. The Yankees’ relief corps has been one of the biggest disappointments this season. A few key relievers, including Williams and Weaver, just didn’t deliver, posting ERAs of 4.79 and 3.62, respectively.

And so, while the Yankees have never been big on spending huge money for bullpen arms, this offseason might have to be an exception. They don’t have enough reliable talent to build a consistent ‘pen from within. So, it’s not really a question of if they’ll go shopping for bullpen help. Rather, it’s a matter of who they’ll target to lock things down late in games.

Even if their starting rotation needs no new names, their bullpen definitely needs a few.