The clock is ticking toward Monday’s 6 p.m. ET trade deadline, and all eyes are on Detroit where Tarik Skubal just crossed a personal milestone that could also serve as a fitting farewell. The two-time Cy Young winner notched his 1,000th career strikeout on Wednesday, fanning Taylor Ward on an 84-mph changeup in the first inning against Baltimore. Skubal went on to strike out six over 6 2/3 innings before the bullpen squandered things in a 12-inning loss. It might have been his last start in a Tigers uniform — ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wednesday that Detroit has decided to move its ace, and a deal could come together quickly as contenders line up for what is widely considered the top prize of this year’s deadline.
The list of suitors reads like an All-Star roster of front offices desperate for October pitching. The Yankees, Red Sox, Braves, Phillies, and Cubs are all believed to be circling, but it is the Rays who may feel the most urgency after Shane McClanahan exited Thursday’s start against Texas with left mid-back tightness after just three batters faced in the fourth inning. Tampa Bay has been rumored among the most aggressive pursuers of Skubal, and losing their own ace to even a short-term injury would only sharpen that appetite heading into the weekend.
Meanwhile, Boston’s deadline got off to about as brutal a start as imaginable. The Red Sox acquired infielder Curtis Mead from Washington on Thursday only to watch him fracture his wrist during his very first game wearing the uniform, turning what looked like a shrewd depth addition into immediate regret. The Mets and Blue Jays, two of the season’s most underwhelming disappointments, are widely expected to sell off pieces rather than double down on lost causes. The Orioles made a quieter move Thursday by picking up veteran catcher Jake Rogers from Detroit for minor league pitcher Zane Barnhart — Rogers had been designated for assignment earlier in the week when Javier Baez returned from injury.
Beyond those headlines, several other deals have already trickled across the wire ahead of Monday’s frenzy. Texas landed Logan O’Hoppe and Chase Silseth from the Angels in exchange for Angel Arredondo. The White Sox picked up Jose Urquidy from Pittsburgh for Felix Doroteo while the Pirates flipped international bonus pool money to San Diego for reliever Ron Marinaccio. None of those moves will dominate the conversation like whatever happens next with Skubal though, who acknowledged last week he knows full well each outing could be his last in Motown.
