Tigers Rumors: Dodgers buzz gives Detroit more clarity on Tarik Skubal trade package

The Detroit Tigers will be focused on extracting as much value from interested Tarik Skubal suitors as possible. However, their demands only go up to a point. The other party has to be willing. With the trade deadline representing Detroit's last chance to capitalize on Skubal rather than lose him for (virtually) nothing in the offseason, that matters.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the favorites to land Skubal. They might be the favorite. While we have our ideal package to demand from LA, it does matter what they are and aren't willing to part with. Fortunately, Dodgers insiders Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya have provided some insight into what Los Angeles is willing to put on the table.

The Dodgers have a whopping nine prospects ranked in MLB Pipeline's top 100, which includes an incredible six outfielders. That's just the start. Their system is filled to the brim with outfield talent, so it's no surprise that they'd be looking to take advantage of their surplus.

Per Woo and Ardaya, despite the desire to rebalance assets, not all of those outfielders are on the table. Josue De Paula and Eduardo Quintero, ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in LA's system, are said to be off the table. In play, however, Mike Sirota (No. 2) and Zyhir Hope (No. 5).

The pair of insiders have also reiterated what Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported earlier: that the Dodgers could be willing to move starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan in part of a package to give the Tigers a controllable arm in exchange for Skubal.

Tigers must demand Mike Sirota in any Dodgers package for Tarik Skubal

The very idea of any prospect being off the table in negotiations for Skubal is irksome, to say the least. Two-time Cy Young winners rarely hit the trade market at the deadline, and when they do, they deserve an absolute haul.

With that said, even if the Dodgers aren't willing to discuss De Paula and Quintero, the fact that they are willing to listen on Sirota is a huge win. The Tigers should be all over him.

Sirota drew notoriety earlier this season for his mind-boggling 72-game on-base streak that was snapped on July 18. The 23-year-old has reached base safely in all nine games he's played since that heater came to an end.

Batting .326/.473/.571 with 16 homers between High-A and Double-A this season, Sirota is about as high-ceiling an offensive force you'll find in the minors. Given that the Tigers system is heavier on infield prospects than it is on outfield prospects, getting Sirota and pairing him with Max Clark would give Detroit a dynamic duo roaming the grass that could be the envy of the league.

As for the pitching side of things, it's a tough call. It seems as if the Dodgers are prioritizing moving Sheehan over the even more controllable Justin Wrobleski. Sheehan hits free agency in 2030, while Wrobleski is under control through 2031.

Production-wise, Wrobleski's 2.88 ERA blows Sheehan's 4.95 mark out of the water; however, a year ago it was Sheehan who came in with a 2.82 ERA versus a 4.32 ERA for Wrobleski. The underlying metrics favor the right-handed Sheehan over his lefty teammate. It's a tough call, but the number of times you'll see Sheehan's name bandied about compared to the silence surrounding Wrobleski makes you think that the Dodgers know something that they think no one else does.

The Dodgers are a tricky team to deal with. They seemingly always have a robust farm system and rarely shy away from blockbuster trades ... and when the dust settles it turns out that their trade partners got very little for the stars they dealt.

With that said, Sirota feels different, and if Los Angeles is really willing to trade him, then the Tigers must pounce on that while simultaneously demanding a whole lot more for the face of their franchise.

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