MLB insiders reveal the New York Yankees and Mets have virtually no chance of landing Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal after exploratory talks and a massive asking price.
If the New York Yankees or New York Mets were hoping to pry Tarik Skubal out of Detroit this winter, they just ran into a brick wall.
Skubal’s name has been floating around rumor mills ever since the Detroit Tigers and their ace began an arbitration standoff, and any time a Cy Young–caliber left-hander is even remotely available, big-market teams start circling. With both New York clubs aggressively hunting for top-of-the-rotation arms, it didn’t take long for Skubal to pop up on their radar.
But according to veteran MLB insider Jon Heyman, those dreams didn’t last long.
“Tarik Skubal is super elite, and the Tigers are well within their rights to expect a huge return,” Heyman wrote. “After brief talks, the Yankees and Mets quickly figured they have no chance.”
In other words: Detroit made it clear they’re not in a selling mood.
Why Detroit Isn’t Letting Go
The timing alone makes a Skubal trade extremely unlikely. The Tigers are coming off a surge that has them thinking contention, not teardown. They’ve built their rotation around Skubal, and he’s the kind of arm franchises wait decades to develop: a lefty with power, command, durability, and postseason-caliber stuff.
Even with the arbitration gap creating noise, Detroit has every incentive to keep him in a Tigers uniform. Trading him now would send the wrong message to a clubhouse that believes it’s on the rise.
Heyman also noted that Detroit’s recent roster moves reinforce that point. The Tigers aren’t positioning themselves like a team looking to cash in its best asset. They’re acting like a club trying to win, and Skubal is the centerpiece of that plan.
New York’s Reality Check
For the Yankees and Mets, the message was simple: asking about Skubal is fine, but paying Detroit’s price is another story entirely.
The Tigers reportedly made it clear that any deal would require a massive haul of top prospects and young MLB-ready talent. That kind of package would gut even the deepest farm systems, and neither New York front office was willing to go there.
So while Skubal’s name may continue to surface in speculative trade chatter, especially with arbitration drama in the background, the reality is that Detroit holds all the leverage.
And unless something truly shocking happens, the Tigers’ ace isn’t going anywhere.
The post Latest Tarik Skubal Rumor All But Reveals Detroit Tigers Plan appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.
Category: General Sports
