MLB rumors: Could Tigers trade Tarik Skubal to White Sox?

It has been a surprising season for the Chicago White Sox, with first-year players coming through — even though one of those guys got hit with a recent injury. Will the White Sox make a bold move and try to convince the Tigers to trade Tarik Skubal to them?

That’s at least a talking point, according to a post on X by MLB Network.

“Mark DeRosa wonders if the AL Central-leading White Sox will make a big trade for a starting pitcher ahead of the Trade Deadline: “Are they willing to do something outside the box?”

The White Sox are 36-31, a half-game in front of the Guardians. Remember, this is a team that lost 100 games or more for three straight seasons. And their 121 setbacks in 2024 stand as the modern MLB record.

But 2026 has been a different year.

Would the White Sox trade for Tigers SP Tarik Skubal?

Widely believed to be available on the trade market, Skubal is scheduled to make his return to the mound Saturday. He has missed over a month after having an elbow procedure.

The Tigers have fallen eight games back of the White Sox. That’s not an insurmountable distance, but the Tigers are expected to deal Skubal before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

But there is a critical question the White Sox would have to answer before they tried to trade for Skubal. Are they willing to trade young prospects to get a pitcher who may only be in two for a couple of months?

The White Sox are far from a World Series contender. But making the playoffs seems more realistic with each passing day.

However, the pitching staff has no stars. Yes, Davis Martin has been fantastic as their ace. He has a record of 9-2 with an ERA of 2.41 and a WHIP of 1.10. In 78.1 innings, he has 79 strikeouts.

Still, Davis is 29 years old and has never finished a major-league season with an ERA under 4.00. And last year, he totaled only 104 strikeouts in 142.2 innings of work.

Sure, adding Skubal would give the White Sox a true MLB ace. It might even be enough to keep the playoff buzz going all the way into September.

However, it could also backfire. If the offense doesn’t keep its power pace, the team might start losing games. Even with a better pitching staff. The White Sox are No. 15 in baseball with a .242 batting average. They are No. 4 in home runs with 91.

But the recent injury loss of Munetaka Murakami hurts the team in the power department. So while it’s fun for the White Sox to dream about adding Skubal, it doesn’t seem like a sound move.

It wouldn’t make sense from the Tigers’ standpoint, either. They could get a much bigger prospect haul from a legitimate World Series contender.

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