Red Sox’s Tarik Skubal Trade Rumors Quickly Get Shot Down
The Boston Red Sox are expected to be busy this offseason after making a surprise run to the playoffs in 2025. One area they are looking for upgrades at is their starting rotation, and it reportedly could lead to them making a big blockbuster trade for the second straight offseason.
After acquiring Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox last offseason, reports have emerged indicating that the Sox front office wants to make a similar trade this year. Among the top names who could be on the trade market is Detroit Tigers’ ace Tarik Skubal.
With free agency looming for Skubal after the upcoming 2026 campaign, the Tigers need to figure out whether or not they are going to extend their superstar pitcher or deal him to another team. If they do trade him, Boston has been labeled one of his top suitors.
A trade for Skubal always seemed a bit far-fetched, and sure enough, just as quickly as those rumors came to light, they have been shot down by MLB insider Jeff Passan. While he admitted that every team in the majors wants Skubal, Passan said he believes that Detroit will hold onto him this offseason.
“Everyone wants Skubal, the soon-to-be two-time American League Cy Young winner, but as of now, the industry expects Detroit to hold onto him, even with his free agency approaching after the 2026 season,” Passan wrote for ESPN.
A starting rotation headlined by Crochet and Skubal, who are expected to finish in first and second place in the American League Cy Young race this year, is something that Red Sox fans everywhere would salivate over. At least for this offseason, though, it doesn’t appear to be all that likely to happen.
Boston has several other starting pitchers it can target on the trade market, such as Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds and Freddy Peralta of the Milwaukee Brewers. As a result, it will be worth keeping tabs on them over the next few months to see if the front office is successful in its quest to find another ace to pair up alongside Crochet.