With the Tigers in total collapse, a Tarik Skubal trade is becoming more likely.

The 2026 season was going to play a major role in how the Detroit Tigers were going to build moving forward. That has played out as such, but in the way the organization likely expected in March.

Entering play on May 30, the Tigers are 14 games under .500 and looking like massive sellers at the trade deadline. Among the players Detroit will shop include back-to-back Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize.

In the FOX Sports pregame show, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal spoke about the likelihood of a Tarik Skubal trade.

“It’s trending that way,” said Rosenthal. “Talking to people around the game, that is their feeling.”

Tigers’ Collapse Could Lead to Tarik Skubal Trade

When Tarik Skubal hit the injured list on May 4, the Tigers were 18-17 on the season. Since then, they’ve gone 4-19. They enter play with a 22-36 record, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in MLB.

Skubal underwent an experimental procedure on May 6 to clean up loose bodies in his left elbow. The left-hander has already progressed to throwing live BPs. But with the Tigers in a free-fall, his return might not be enough to save their season. In May, the Tigers’ offense has bottomed out. They’ve scored the fewest runs in MLB (79) and have the second-worst wRC+ (73).

“The outlook for them is rather bleak,” said Rosenthal. “And honestly, it’s difficult to imagine them making up a 14-game under .500 deficit. Getting back to .500 [by the August 3 trade deadline] and contending, even in a weak American League [Wild Card race].”

Even with the morale boost of getting the reigning Cy Young winner back, it’s a problem that even he can’t fix. With 2026 looking more like a lost season, it would make more sense for the club to extract a strong return and rebuild around those players instead.

“So the question becomes, will Skubal be healthy enough? And that’s what we don’t know.

“He’s coming off the innovative NanoNeedle elbow surgery, and maybe he’s back in mid-June, maybe it’s late-June. As long as he is healthy again, teams are going to line up. And then the question becomes, are the Tigers willing? If the standings are that daunting, if the situation is that bleak, they’re going to have to listen.”

Tarik Skubal Availability Shapes 2026 Deadline

The market for his services is somewhat limited due to his $32 million salary. The team that acquires the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be on the hook for at least $10.7 million in terms of payroll. That will make him an expensive addition for a team looking for that last piece to make a championship run.

The teams that make the most sense are the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres. Fellow MLB insider Jon Heyman lists the Cubs as the “No. 1 team” for Skubal. USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale says that Skubal might be too rich for Chicago.

The Yankees present an interesting situation, but getting involved is good news for the Tigers. The more teams that line up for Skubal, the stronger a return they can demand for the left-hander’s final 10 starts of the season.

There hasn’t been a player of Skubal’s caliber on the trade market in a while. The last time such an accomplished player was available was in 2023. Rosenthal reported on May 21 for The Athletic that the Los Angeles Angels had agreed to a deal to send Shohei Ohtani to the Tampa Bay Rays. The package would have included Junior Caminero and Carson Williams, but Angels owner Arte Moreno nixed the deal.

While Skubal isn’t as valuable a player as Ohtani, who also serves as a designated hitter on days he doesn’t pitch, that should give the Tigers a vague idea of where to start in negotiations.