Jon Heyman names potential new suitor for Tarik Skubal as Tigers brace for departure

The Tarik Skubal sweepstakes haven't even started, and there's reason for Detroit Tigers fans to feel uncomfortable. The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have been the heavily-rumored suitors for Skubal this winter, and another team known to make free agency spicy has entered the conversation.

The San Diego Padres have had cash-flow problems for most of the last two years. Through mostly depleting their farm system, the Padres have remained in contention. But if the Padres are truly going to keep pace with the Dodgers, it's time for them to start spending wildly once again. That's where the concern should be for the Tigers, considering a perfect storm could be developing for the Padres to be viewed as a legitimate suitor for Skubal.

A group led by businessman José E. Feliciano is nearing a record-smashing $3.9 billion deal to purchase the Padres. The deal still has to be pushed across the finish line and is subject to 75% approval of MLB's owners, but as of this moment, there's no reason to believe those hurdles won't be cleared. The sale should resolve the payroll problems the Padres have had recently and may open the door for them to be involved in the sweepstakes for Skubal this offseason.

Jon Heyman connecting soon-to-be bought Padres to Tarik Skubal isn't news Tigers fans wanted to hear

Jon Heyman speculates that Feliciano is expected to bring back the days of the Padres being a true dark horse for top free agents, and it may start this winter with Skubal. Heyman isn't citing sources within this report, and generally, the information feels like another instance of the MLB insider doing what he does best: making life easier for Scott Boras.

There is something to be said for the new owner bump. In most cases, there's no bad press that is associated with a new owner taking over a franchise. Many times, the initial vibe is that said team will become a surprise spender in free agency. There's certainly a little bit of that at play here, but it's the Padres. San Diego suddenly becoming a spender again wouldn't be an earth-shattering reveal.

If anything, the speculation from Heyman is confirmation that things may get messy for the Tigers' hopes of signing Skubal to a new contract after this season. If the Dodgers, Mets, and Padres are all involved, the bidding is certainly going to reach a level that Tigers fans don't think Chris Ilitch is willing to reach — even in their dreams.

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