Phillies-Tigers trade idea sends Tarik Skubal to Philadelphia in massive blockbuster deal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

With the news that theand ace Tarik Skubal are reportedly several million dollars apart in contract negotiations, the rumor mill is starting to swirl surrounding Skubal and the potential of him being traded.

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Skubal isn’t set to be a free agent until after the 2026 season,  but considering he is clearly the top starter in all of MLB, Skubal likely wants to be extended before the end of next season. It has happened before where MLB organizations will trade away their ace starter before a contract year to get away from having to pay a big chunk to one starter.

However, it should be made clear that the Tigers need to re-sign Skubal. He’s likely headed towards a consecutive AL CY Young award, and is in the middle of his prime.

Phillies linked to trade for Tarik Skubal

In a recent Bleacher Report naming the top potential landing spots for Tairk Skubal, the Philadelphia Phillies are named as one of the seven MLB teams that could make a run at Skubal.

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It would be a long shot for sure, but Dave Dombrowski likes to make big splashes in the trade market, as we saw this July when he went out and acquired Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline.

The Phillies may also be looking to fill the void of Ranger Suarez, who is expected to depart in free agency. Another reason Philadelphia could be a top suitor is that Zack Wheeler has already announced that 2026 will be his last season.

A potential trade package would almost absolutely have to include top prospect Andrew Painter, and likely a few other top prospects + an MLB arm or two as well.

There were reports that the Phillies tried to acquire Garrett Crochet this offseason. One of the main reasons the Phillies were named to the list of potential Skubal suitors is because of the high-quality prospects they have, and Philadelphia’s front office’s willingness to make big player deals like this.

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