The opportunity is right there for the Tigers to completely regret trading Tarik Skubal

The Detroit Tigers did what all the experts and fans throughout baseball thought they would do; they traded Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Moreover, the trade package for the two-time Cy Young Award-winner has been criticized for being somewhat light. Both Zyhir Hope and River Ryan are recognized as top-100 prospects, but most Tigers fans feel that Skubal should've been able to fetch a more impactful return.

Now those same fans have to face the grim reality of what the remainder of the 2026 season looks like with out their ace. And that's what makes the deal itself so frustrating. Some Tigers fans might even use the word infuriating. Why? Because Detroit is still in the thick of the playoff race.

Tigers playoff chances took major hit after Tarik Skubal trade

After Saturday's win over the Athletics, the Tigers moved to within 2½ games of the final AL Wild Card spot and are still just 5½ games back of the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Given the unpredictable nature of the next two months, Tigers fans are left wondering, "what if?"

Mike Petriello of MLB.com seems to think Detroit panicked and questioned the timing of the deal itself. He cited the Tigers' recent string of playing winning baseball and their place in the standings.

Even without Skubal, there's a chance Detroit could make run during the second half. But as ESPN insider Buster Olney correctly pointed out, the Tigers playoff odds dropped off significantly following the trade.

Detroit's odds of making it back to the postseason for the third straight year dipped from 26.6% to 20.9%, according to FanGraphs. If the Tigers follow through on their likely plans to trade fellow starting pitcher Casey Mize, one can only assume those numbers will continue to plummet.

If the Tigers would've held onto Skubal, and perhaps added a bat or another bullpen arm, there's a chance they could've made a postseason run in the increidbly weak American League. Now they've effectively given their would-be World Series opponent the best pitcher in the league.

It's fair to critique the deal itself, but given the fact that Detroit received nothing more than prospects in return, judgements should probably reserved for a few years down the road. (Who knows, Zyhir Hope could become an MVP candidate.) But in the immediate aftermath, it looks like the Tigers gave up on a season that still could've yielded a playoff berth, and maybe even more.

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