Tigers fans will applaud Scott Harris for crushing Yankees in Tarik Skubal trade rumors

This offseason hasn't been the smoothest ride for Tarik Skubal and the Tigers. There haven't been any material updates on his unprecedented arbitration case and 2026 will likely be his final year pitching for Detroit.

However, things may be turning around. Skubal showed the organization some love in his recent Cy Young acceptance speech, and new details about the Yankees offseason indicate the team still holds him in high regard.

In a recent article discussing the Yankees' offseason, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com pointed out that the Bronx Bombers have inquired about Skubal but the Tigers told them they simply don't have enough interesting pieces to make a fair trade.

This shouldn't come off as surprising. New York's farm system is on the weaker side, ranking 22nd last year, and it doesn't seem like the situation will be improving much any time soon. They have four names in the newest iteration of MLB's Top 100 Prospect list but only one is ranked in the top 75.

The Tigers are on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to the value of their minor league assets. They also have just four names in the top 100 but all are in the top 50 including Kevin McGonigle, who's already looking like the favorite for the AL Rookie of the Year award.

The Tigers shut down any possibility of trading Skubal to the Yankees, citing a lack of enticing trade assets

The two farm systems are already leagues apart and the Yankees have little to offer that would meaningfully improve the Tigers' current depth. At the big league level, New York's colossal payroll makes it difficult to move any of their pieces since they all come with hefty contracts. Their top six highest-paid players are all making more than $22 million, already more than what Detroit offered Skubal this offseason.

There will be plenty of other suitors for Skubal's services, especially as we approach the trade deadline, and the Tigers are well aware that they can have the best of both worlds if they play their cards right. They could very well get 20 quality starts out of him before moving him at the end of July, getting something in return for his expiring contract while still reaping the rewards of having him on the active roster.

In an ideal world, Skubal would be a Tiger for life and retire as one of the best modern players in franchise history. Unfortunately, with Detroit's financial limitations and his own limitless potential, it seems inevitable that he'll be pitching for a new team come 2027. But because the organization is intent on keeping him until they get the right price, it looks like Skubal will have a major impact on the future of the organization by bringing in the club's next generation of elite talent.