Why Red Sox Should Monitor Tigers Superstar Tarik Skubal Closely

While the first month of the 2026 Major League Baseball season was a disaster for the Boston Red Sox, there have been positive signs since the club transitioned from former manager Alex Cora to interim skipper Chad Tracy.

Boston is 7-5 under Tracy and is just 1 1/2 games out of an American League Wild Card spot. Now, of course, it's early to be talking about the Wild Card. But that just goes to show how weak the American League is and why the Red Sox shouldn't be out of hope yet. The Red Sox are 17-22 and yet they are nowhere near out of it yet in the American League playoff race. They're going to be just fine.

If the Red Sox can continue to play like they have over the last week or so and Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet are able to return soon from the Injured List and play up to their potential, this club can still do some damage. Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has shown that he's clearly not afraid to make a splash in the trade market with the biggest example being trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants last year.

It's still early, but trade chatter around the league is already beginning just under three months before the 2026 MLB trade deadline, which is scheduled for Aug. 3. The Giants traded two-time Gold Glove Award winner Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, for example. On Sunday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale dropped a column in which he discussed various trade candidates across the league and teams to watch.

The team that the Red Sox should have their eyes on is the Detroit Tigers and specifically ace Tarik Skubal. He's on the Injured List right now after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, but still a situation to monitor. Nightengale mentioned the Tigers as one of the teams to watch out for and mentioned Skubal's name, but did note that a deal with any team isn't likely.

Tarik Skubal Would Be The Dream Trade Target

"The Tigers invited teams to make offers for two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal during the winter, saying they had an obligation to at least listen, no matter how exorbitant the demands would be before they’d seriously consider moving him," Nightengale wrote. " ... Yet, if the Tigers somehow do fall out of the race, look out. The Tigers would have the most marquee player on the trade block with Skubal since the San Diego Padres traded Juan Soto to the Yankees.

"The question is just how much could the Tigers get for Skubal, who has now had three arm surgeries on his career, is earning $32 million, and certainly will be seeking a free agent contract exceeding $400 million? The Tigers would need Skubal to look like the Skubal pre-surgery, or at least back on the mound and pitching in games to get the value they need in return."

Right now, the Tigers are 18-22 and don't have their best player for the foreseeable future. Skubal also is going to be a free agent after the season and it's hard to believe Detroit is going to pay the price to keep him, which is what led to the trade rumors this past offseason in the first place.

One thing to note is the fact that Skubal has openly talked about how Fenway Park is his favorite place to play. The rotation is a strength for Boston, but imagine a rotation with Crochet, Skubal, Ranger Suárez, Connelly Early and Sonny Gray with Payton Tolle as the sixth option? Skubal isn't going to be back for a bit and the deadline will be here in August. If the Tigers are afraid of losing Skubal for nothing, it wouldn't hurt to make some sort of offer and roll the dice. The American League is so weak that Boston realistically could still make a run and win it. If you have a rotation that good, you could capture lightning in a bottle.

Now, of course, this is a pipe dream right now. But if the Red Sox continue trending up and the Tigers trend down with Skubal out, it would be worth it to place a call and see what the price tag would be.

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