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Tarik Skubal is increasingly likely to be traded. The Yankees could be a potential suitor if they offer up their top prospects.
The New York Yankees have started playing better baseball as of late, having won three games in a row and coming to within 2 1/2 games of first place in the American League East. The team recently got a big boost thanks to the return of Gerrit Cole.
They have also received big contributions from right-hander Cam Schlittler, but it certainly can’t hurt to add one more big arm to their starting rotation. They attempted to trade for Tarik Skubal back in January, but the Detroit Tigers scoffed at their offer, essentially telling them that their prospect pool was not good enough.
However, with the Tigers falling out of contention, a Skubal trade seems all but inevitable. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report put a mock proposal together that would send Skubal to the Bronx Bombers for their two top prospects, infielder George Lombard Jr. and right-hander Carlos Lagrange.
“The Yankees have gotten 7.2 rWAR out of their starting pitchers, the most of any team in MLB. But to focus on that is to miss the real points of concern,” Rymer wrote.
“Cam Schlittler? Yeah, he rules. But Max Fried is on the injured list, and both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón have flashed warning signs since they came off the IL. Rodón has walked 11 batters in 13 innings, while Cole had more walks (three) than strikeouts (two) in his 2026 debut. Both are in their mid-30s.
“To acquire Skubal would be an act of leaving nothing to chance. The Yankees could line up him and Schlittler for a postseason run, and then trust that the rest would work out.”
Yankees Trade Pitch Lands Skubal for Top Prospects
The Yankees will certainly have to pay up if they want to land Skubal from the Tigers. Detroit is going to ask for a lot in return. Fortunately, both Lagrange and Lombard have risen through the ranks of the Yankees’ farm system.
But it might take more than just those two prospects to get a deal done. The Yankees also have Spencer Jones, Ben Hess and Elmer Rodriguez in their system. That’s not to say it will take every last top prospect, but the two-time reigning American League Cy Young certainly will command a hefty package.
His injury may hurt his value a little bit, but that shouldn’t stop teams from pursuing him, especially if the Tigers are unable to climb back into the postseason race, which is very possible given where they are now.
Is it Worth it?
The Yankees will have to decide if it’s worth it to go after Skubal, who is in the final year of his contract. Chances are good that the Tigers will not be able to re-sign him, but the Yankees might also have a better chance at being able to keep him around.
They have better financial resources than Detroit, so they could potentially be in the running when he hits free agency. But re-signing him wouldn’t be a guarantee, so it might be worth holding onto their prospects with Skubal so close to free agency.
Curt Bishop Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who has written for various outlets including Heavy Sports, Sports Illustrated, FanSided, The Sporting News, Newsweek and Yardbarker. His work entails mostly breaking and trending news with a concentration on Major League Baseball (MLB). Curt graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a bachelor's degree in communications with a focus on emerging and new media, as well as a music minor. More about Curt Bishop