Cardinals-Red Sox trade sent Tigers much more than a Tarik Skubal message

The Boston Red Sox acquired Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals and paid a hefty price to do so. Beyond parting with one of their best pitching prospects, Brandon Clarke, and a Major League-ready arm in Richard Fitts. Gray's reworked deal will see him paid $41 million over the next year. While the Cardinals are kicking in $20 million, it's hard not to be stunned at what Boston gave up for a rental starting pitcher who isn't quite an ace.

Anytime a starting pitcher gets traded this offseason, there is going to be a connection made to the Detroit Tigers' situation with Tarik Skubal. In fact, it doesn't even have to include a starting pitcher.

In terms of what Gray's trade means for a potential Skubal swap, it all but confirms Detroit would be right to ask for a team's firstborn child in any offer. Further proof that while it's fun (for other teams) to dream about trading for Skubal this offseason, the chances of it actually happening are pretty slim.

That isn't the only message being sent to Detroit. While Skubal trade rumors have dominated the offseason conversation, it can't be forgotten that the Tigers were one game away from playing in the ALCS. The focus shouldn't be on what the Tigers can get in a potential trade of Skubal; it needs to be on who the Tigers can add around Skubal to stabilize their contention window.

Sonny Gray's trade sent a loud message to the Detroit Tigers about the cost of doing business this offseason

Adding to the rotation is likely on the agenda for Scott Harris and Co. this winter. Even with Jack Flaherty opting into his 2026 option, Skubal needs another top-of-the-rotation arm to join him on the Tigers' pitching staff. That is why the Gray trade is problematic.

Gray has an uncanny ability to stack strikeouts, but at this stage of his career, he is a No. 3 starter at best with the occasional outing that gives him the impression of an ace. If it took one of the Red Sox's best pitching prospects to get a deal done for Gray, the Tigers' farm system may be gutted if they try to swing a deal for someone from the ace-caliber group that includes Freddy Peralta, Hunter Greene, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez or MacKenzie Gore.

Complicating matters even more for the Tigers is that all of those pitchers, except Peralta, are under team control beyond 2026. The cost of trading for a starting pitcher under control for multiple seasons is inherently higher than trading for a rental, regardless of the caliber of each pitcher.

All in all, the message that was sent to the Tigers could have different meanings depending on what path they choose this offseason.