Yankees Called Natural Landing Spot for Cy Young Winner in Blockbuster Trade Idea

Yankees Called Natural Landing Spot for Cy Young Winner in Blockbuster Trade Idea image

The Yankees are already feeling the pinch in their starting rotation despite a hot start to the 2025 season.

Life without ace Gerrit Cole won’t be easy to navigate, and it doesn’t help that reigning AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil started the season on the 60-day injured list. There’s some good news on the horizon, though — the Yankees hope to get breakout starter Clarke Schmidt back in the rotation this month.

But that might not be enough. New York needs to seriously consider making a major addition to their starting staff this summer, and there’s a real possibility the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner could be there for the taking.

If the Detroit Tigers make Tarik Skubal available at the trade deadline, the Yankees seem like a logical landing spot, according to Christopher Kline of FanSided.

“Skubal does not seem like the type who’s motivated by money more than winning, but there isn’t a free agent in baseball who’d take a truly substantial hometown discount,” Kline wrote. “If Skubal’s contract runs close to the $300 million range, it’s tough to imagine the Tigers, with the 21st-highest payroll out of 30 teams, coughing up the necessary dough.

“Skubal will have other suitors — all the typical culprits, such as LA, Boston, and the Mets — but the Yankees feel like an especially natural landing spot, especially if (Aaron) Boone keeps telling us how great Skubal is every time the two face off.”

The 28-year-old lefty and the Tigers avoided arbitration before the season by agreeing to a $10.15 million deal. He’s still under team control through the 2026 season, but it wouldn’t be shocking if he started looking for a contract extension as soon as this offseason.

Spotrac projects Skubal to land an eight-year deal worth $225 million. At just over $28 million per season, that would rank him as the No. 6 highest-paid starting pitcher in terms of annual value — and that’s including Shohei Ohtani’s heavily deferred $700 million contract.

What makes Skubal so appealing for the Yankees is his ability to immediately step in as the rotation’s anchor while Cole works his way back from Tommy John surgery. His electric stuff and proven durability would give New York exactly what they’re missing right now.

The Tigers aren’t out of contention yet, but if they fall back in the standings over the next couple months, Skubal could become the prize of the trade deadline. The Yankees, with their deep farm system and financial resources, would be perfectly positioned to make a serious run at him.

This is definitely a storyline worth watching as we get deeper into the season and closer to the trade deadline.

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Luke Bennett avatar
Luke Bennett
6 months ago