Angels must make this trade offer for Tigers’ Tarik Skubal

It’s been 11 seasons since the Los Angeles Angels last appeared in the postseason. That period spans the majority of franchise star Mike Trout’s career. It spanned the entirety of superstar Shohei Ohtani’s tenure at Angel Stadium. Entering 2026, it’s clear that Angels general manager Perry Minasian is on the hot seat. The club’s new manager, Kurt Suzuki, signed a one-year deal, which is essentially unheard of for a new managerial hire.

Now, Minasian needs to figure out how to build a playoff-caliber roster around the aging Trout. While the 34-year-old played in the highest number of games (130) since 2019’s 134 matchups last year, it’s clear that a lot of help will be needed to get the Angels back to the postseason. LA’s GM has added three former highly touted prospects in second baseman Vaughn Grissom, plus starting pitchers Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah. Three veteran relievers in Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, and Jordan Romano have been added to a revamped bullpen as well.

While these additions could help, more is needed. While Trout is one of the game’s most recognized stars, he’s no longer at the height of his powers. More star power is required to push the Angels past the rest of their division, as the AL West’s other four teams finished ahead of Los Angeles. So, in a bid to finally get Trout and the Halos back to the postseason, Minasian needs to do whatever it takes to land what could be the biggest trade piece on the market: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

Angels need to go all-in ahead of a pivotal 2026 campaign

At the moment, the Angels’ major league rotation features last year’s big free agent signing in Yusei Kikuchi, plus emerging arms in Jose Soriano and Reid Detmers. Minasian, Suzuki and the rest of the Halos’ brass are also hoping that Rodriguez and Manoah can reach the potential that their former first round status affords them.

Multiple young starters wait in the wings in Triple-A, including Caden Dana, Samuel Aldegheri, and Jack Kochanowicz. Other arms, like Ryan Johnson, Mitch Farris, and George Klassen, could also be a part of a Skubal return. Furthermore, young position players such as outfielder Matthew Lugo, corner infielder Niko Kavadas and utilityman Kyren Paris would be intriguing options.

While Minasian and the Angels don’t have the deepest farm system, there is still plenty of talent that could be used in a Skubal trade. In addition to trading for the back-to-back Cy Young winner, Los Angeles will also need to see what it will take to lock the left-hander in long term. While the Tigers and Skubal remain worlds apart on a new deal, it’s certainly possible that moving closer to home will help the Halos’ chances. In order to swing a deal for their new ace, parting with a package of players led by Dana, Johnson and Paris could be enough to entice Detroit to finally deal the AL’s best pitcher.

The post Angels must make this trade offer for Tigers’ Tarik Skubal appeared first on ClutchPoints.