A Braves-Tigers trade so Atlanta literally owns the AL Cy Young favorite

The Atlanta Braves faced Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal earlier this week, and it didn’t go well for the right-hander. Skubal lasted only four innings and allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned), bringing his ERA to 2.50. Detroit has been mired in a skid of late, and that has some Tigers fans wondering if a selloff is on the horizon.

“Today was not a good day for me” Skubal said after the loss. “I think it’s more about execution than what they sit on. They can sit on a pitch, and if I keep running it, it’s hard to hit.

Skubal got an up-close look at one of the best lineups in baseball (when they’re playing). It might be better for Skubal to join Atlanta rather than face the Braves.

Scott Harris inherited the team from Al Avila a little less than two years ago. Since then, he has taken action on the sidelines and openly admitted that Detroit’s roster wasn’t good enough before the regular season started. Trading Skubal for prospects would allow Harris to put his first stamp on this Detroit organization, for better or worse.

Is a trade for Skubal likely as of this writing? No, there is little indication that Detroit would be willing to make such a move at this point. They remain in the AL Wild Card race, despite a 1-5 road trip before a home series against the lowly White Sox. It’s an easy way to get back on track. Still, Tigers insider Cody Stavenhagen suggested the Tigers might be more open to such a move than they were this winter.

“I don’t want to be the guy who bangs the table and says the Tigers need to trade the best thing they’ve produced in years…The Tigers have two possible paths. The first might be the hardest. They should be creative and sign some hits or make creative, risky and original moves to build a winner over the next two years while Skubal is under team control. The second is to admit that you don’t have any. you just don’t have enough.”

Right now, the Tigers don’t have enough, but the farm system has some promising young prospects like Jackson Jobe. Pushing back their competitive schedule even further would be difficult. It might also be the only real option for Detroit. This is what a trade could look like.

For Skubal, the Tigers are reportedly looking for a Juan Soto-style package. Given that Skubal has several years left on his contract, he would receive that kind of return on the trade market, even if Braves fans are shocked.

Smith-Shawver is Atlanta’s top prospect and top 100 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline. Alvarez has made waves this season in the minors and is arguably the best hitting prospect in the Braves organization. Some fans want him in Atlanta as soon as possible, starting with Ozzie Albies in trouble. Baldwin could start shortly in Detroit, which has no real answer at receiver, while Dodd immediately fills Skubal’s rotation spot. That makes four of the top 15 prospects in the Braves system.

Again, trading for a player of Skubal’s caliber in his prime is bound to be expensive. This trade is just my best guess, but the Tigers might not even be interested at this point.