The Detroit Tigers traded superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers this season after underperforming immensely. The Tigers trading Skubal was understandable, as he was on an expiring contract, and the AL Central club was out of the playoff race near the deadline. However, since the trade, there has been a lot of talk about the possibility of the Tigers and Skubal reuniting in free agency this offseason.
Yet, the Tigers have now gotten a new prediction regarding a potential Skubal reunion, and it is certainly a bad one. In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley predicted that the Tigers will miss out on Skubal and that the star pitcher will re-sign with the Dodgers this offseason. "While free agents do consider factors behind their pay day, the dollar amounts typically need to be pretty close to garner serious consideration.
And with a bidding war seemingly brewing between the deep-pocketed Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, the Tigers could get priced out of this sweepstakes," Buckley wrote. "Prediction: Skubal re-signs with the Los Angeles Dodgers." It would undoubtedly sting if the Tigers were unable to successfully bring back Skubal this offseason. However, with the Tigers not having the same kind of money as baseball's big-spending clubs, it is certainly possible that he won't head back to Detroit this offseason.
If the Tigers miss out on Skubal, they will need to explore their options elsewhere. The Tigers' starting rotation is in need of some serious help, especially after trading Skubal and Casey Mize this season. A few pending free agents who Detroit could turn to if they miss Skubal include Freddy Peralta, Michael King, Tyler Mahle, and Clay Holmes.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens with Skubal this offseason. The Tigers will be hoping that they are the lucky team that lands him.
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