The Detroit Tigers aren’t ready to wave the white flag just yet. Despite sitting at 27-39, they’re only 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot in what’s shaping up to be a wide-open AL field.
That’s keeping Tarik Skubal in Detroit for now.
The Tigers have won five of their last six games, and that mini-surge is buying them some time to see where this season heads. It’s also keeping their front office from making any hasty decisions about their ace left-hander.
MLB Network’s Jon Morosi provided an update that should interest anyone tracking Skubal’s trade market:
“I believe the Tigers ultimately will listen to trade offers for some pending free agents, but they are not in a hurry to make moves. They have won 5 of 6. Their playoff chances have increased to 23.7%, per @fangraphs. Lots of time until Aug. 3.”
Here’s what makes that noteworthy: Skubal becomes a free agent after the 2026 season. That pending free agent status is exactly why he’s been mentioned in trade discussions all year.
The Tigers aren’t closing the door on anything. But they’re also not actively shopping their best pitcher while they still have a mathematical shot at October.
Why The Wait Makes Sense
The AL Wild Card race is unusually weak this year, which changes the calculation for teams like Detroit. When you’re only 5.5 games back in mid-June, you don’t start fire sales.
Skubal’s been dealing with some health issues, but once he’s back and healthy, this Tigers roster has shown it can play competitive baseball. The recent hot streak proves that.
From where they’re sitting, it makes more sense to give it another month and see what develops. If they’re still hovering around .500 come late July, that’s when tough decisions get made.
The August 3rd trade deadline gives Detroit plenty of runway to evaluate where they stand. If Skubal returns healthy and the team continues playing better baseball, maybe they become buyers instead of sellers.
If not, Skubal’s trade value should only increase as contenders get more desperate for frontline pitching help.
All things considered, the Tigers are playing this smart. They’re keeping their options open while giving themselves every chance to make a run. And in a year where the AL playoff picture looks this muddled, that patience might just pay off.
