Scott Boras quote hints Tigers' Tarik Skubal purgatory could end sooner than later

Tarik Skubal is (almost) officially a free agent, and he's keeping his cards close to his chest. After the Dodgers' exit from the postseason, he declined to comment on his thoughts about going back to LA. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said that they'll continue having conversations with Skubal and Scott Boras, but it's ultimately up to Skubal to make the best decision for himself and his family.

This is just the done thing when a player becomes a free agent. The odds that he goes back to to LA are massive, even as a slate of other teams may be preparing to make their own pitches.

The Tigers have been included on almost every "teams to watch" list when it comes to the Skubal sweepstakes, but fans know better than to get our hopes up about that. With the amount of money coming off the payroll this offseason, it might not be impossible, but the odds are incredibly slim.

There's an elephant in the room, of course: baseball is barreling toward a lockout. The challenge for this crop of free agents will be signing before the CBA expires on Dec. 1 without sacrificing their own value in the rush.

If anyone is equipped to do that for Skubal, it's Boras. He said broadly, "For many teams, I can make an argument it's clearly best for them to sign players currently, before the (new) CBA, than it is after..."

Sounds like we won't have to wait too long to find out where Skubal will end up.

Scott Boras hints it won't take long for Tarik Skubal to sign a new contract ahead of an MLB lockout

Although a salary cap almost certainly isn't going to fly in any world, as much as the owners and a large contingent of baseball fans want it to, players who wait until the smoke clears to sign are at a distinct disadvantage. There will be little runway for those without new homes to negotiate and sign before the start of what figures to be an abbreviated season.

It's hard to see how players might have more leverage before and after a lockout, but if anyone can make the argument, it's Boras. The teams that want Skubal are going to have to come out swinging immediately, and it's hard to envision a world in which the Tigers are one of them.

At least we probably won't be kept in suspense for very long. Anyone who's seriously interested in Skubal is going to have to come out swinging and start the bidding high. The Tigers aren't in a position to compete with the likes of the Dodgers are Mets, nor have they given any indication that they want to be.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow