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The Detroit Tigers are one of the best teams in baseball this season, which is a stark contrast from what they looked like at the trade deadline last year.
At the trade deadline this season, the Tigers could have made a lot of big moves, but they opted to stand pat for the most part. This decision could come back to bite them as the other top teams in baseball all seemed to get a lot better.
FanSided’s Chris Landers suggested that Tarik Skubal could be “eyeing the exit” out of Detroit following the Tigers’ lack of big moves at the trade deadline.
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“Speaking of complacency: The Tigers enter Friday tied for the best record in the AL, with no reason not to get as aggressive as possible to try and make a run to the World Series,” Landers wrote. “But Scott Harris continued to tinker at the margins at the deadline, adding Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack to the rotation to go along with a flotilla of underwhelming relievers (Kyle Finnegan, Paul Sewald, Codi Heuer, and Rafael Montero). That’s hardly the infusion of talent this team needs to separate itself from the pack.
“Which would be bad enough as it is, before even considering the fact that ace Tarik Skubal is about to enter a walk year in 2026. Detroit still seems no closer to signing him to a long-term deal, which makes maximizing this current window even more important.”
It would be good for baseball for Skubal to re-sign with the Tigers. It would be a huge win for the small market teams that are trying to re-sign or extend their superstars.
But if the front office isn’t going to attack the trade deadline with the World Series in mind, it’s hard to imagine Skubal would want to remain in Detroit.
For the Tigers to land a contract extension, Skubal might need to take a hometown discount. Skubal likely won’t take a hometown discount if the front office isn’t willing to chase a World Series at the trade deadline.
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