Yankees must finally pull trigger on this Tarik Skubal trade with Tigers

The New York Yankees have not won a World Series since 2009. This is tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history between World Series victories. Now, the Yankees have a chance to make massive moves at the MLB Trade Deadline.

The biggest name on the trade market is Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. Skubal would be a perfect pickup for the Yankees. Skubal was a 2019 selection of the Detroit Tigers and made his MLB debut in 2020. Since then, Skubal has been dominant. He is 61-42 in his career, with a 3.04 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. Meanwhile, Skubal recently notched his 1,000th career strikeout, in what could be his last start with the Tigers.

Skubal is a two-time All-Star, a two-time AL Cy Young Winner, won the triple crown in 2024, and also was the MLB strikeout leader in 2024. He is the best pitcher in the game, and adding him to the Yankees would create a perfect rotation to win a World Series. Now is the time to make the move.

The Yankees’ World Series window is closing

The Yankees are running out of time to take advantage of this core they have. They have multiple players set to be free agents at the end of the season. That includes Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm, and Trent Grisham. The trio has been a major part of the Yankees’ success this year. Chisholm is hitting .223 with a .298 on-base percentage. He also has 16 home runs and 45 RBI. Meanwhile, Goldschmidt is hitting .258 with a .320 on-base percentage. He has 16 home runs and 44 RBIs. Finally, Grisham has hit .213 but with a .316 on-base percentage. He also had 11 home runs and 41 RBIs.

While this trio hits free agency, there are also aging veterans on the team. Aaron Judge has missed plenty of time this year, and while he has been great when in the lineup, his age could be becoming a factor. He will be 35 years old at the start of next season. There is also Giancarlo Stanton, who will turn 37 at the end of the year. He has not played over 120 games since 2021. Stanton has also not played over 150 games since his first season with the Yankees in 2018, and his age and injury history should be concerning.

Jose Caballero, Ryan McMahon, Amed Rosario, Cody Bellinger, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole will all be 30 or over when the next season begins. While not horribly old for an MLB player, if there is an MLB lockout in 2027, they need to win now.

The Yanks need to keep Skubal away from other teams

The American League is fairly light overall. The Yankees are not currently leading the AL East, but have a stranglehold on a Wild Card spot in the American League. Further, the Guardians have the final Wild Card spot in the League, and are on pace for an 82-80 season. That would be the worst record of a team to win the World Series in history. That record is currently owned by the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, who were 83-78 and had one game cancelled. With the rest of the AL at .500 or below, it is a weak year for the AL.

Meanwhile, there are two other teams that are expected to be busy at the trade deadline. The Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, and Yankees are all interested in similar players, and one of them could be Skubal. If the Yankees are going to make a run to the World Series, it starts with keeping Skubal away from the Rays and Red Sox.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are also potentially interested in Skubal. The Dodgers have won two straight World Series, including defeating the Yankees in 2024. A rotation with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Justin Wrobelski, Skubal, plus Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, Roki Sasaki, and Emmet Sheehan all being available to pitch, could be difficult to defeat.

New York can afford the rental

The Yankees have not acted like the late 1990’s and early 2000’s teams in recent years. They have not been as aggressive in free agency nor at the trade deadline as they used to be when they were consistently winning World Series. The Yankees could send a starting pitcher to the Dodgers in return for Skubal. It would start with Will Warren. With a rotation containing Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, and Skubal, Warren becomes expendable. Warren did just come out of the bullpen recently and could be a solid addition to the Tigers.

The Yankees could even add another MLB starting pitcher to the equation, adding Ryan Weathers. The Yankees also have some solid prospects in the system, which could add to the trade. George Lombard Jr. would be hard for the Yankees to part with, but his scouting report shows the high-level prospect he is.

“Lombard developed a high baseball IQ growing up around the game, and he plays even quicker than his solid speed on the bases and in the field. He’s a potential 25-25 guy with fluid actions, range to both sides, quick hands and solid arm strength at shortstop. A reliable defender who committed just seven errors in 111 starts there last season, he also played well in brief action at second and third base,” his scouting report reads.

The Yankees also have Dax Kilby, a shortstop who is currently in Single-A. He would be a solid addition to the prospect pool for the Tigers.

The Yankees have a World Series-caliber team, but adding Skubal could put them over the top.

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