Tigers’ ugly record since Tarik Skubal injury shouldn’t change trade deadline plans originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Detroit Tigers are struggling without Tarik Skubal.
Since Detroit’s ace got hurt, the AL Central club is 5-12 in the last 17 games. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale points out that the Tigers were tied for first place in the division on the same day (May 4) Skubal was sidelined.
But how much does Skubal’s absence really impact a relatively small sample size on Detroit’s schedule?
The back-to-back Cy Young Award winner takes the mound once every fifth day. It’s been just over two weeks since he learned he required surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, meaning he’s only missed approximately three to four starts thus far.
Mike Axisa of CBS Sports does not believe the Tigers’ poor play will impact Skubal’s future with the team.
“Skubal will be a free agent after the season, and my sense is the Tigers will have to crash hard in these next 65 games to entertain trading him at the deadline,” Axisa wrote Tuesday. “If they’re still 2 ½ games back on Aug. 3, I think they keep him, add to the roster around him, and make a push for a postseason spot. I don’t know that for certain. That’s just what I would expect to happen.”
Should the Tigers decide to trade Skubal, even in the midst of a Wild Card chase, it would be a smack in the face from the organization to the fans.
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Sure, the return trade package for a pitcher of his caliber would be enormous. But the AL Central is winnable.
Even with this rough patch Detroit is going through without the lefty.
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