Cubs Not Expected To Be A Suitor For Tarik Skubal

The expectation around the league is that the Chicago Cubs will add a starting pitcher at this year’s trade deadline.

That’s almost a must if the Cubs want to make the playoffs and eventually make a deep postseason run. Losing Cade Horton for the season and having Justin Steele suffer a setback in his recovery from elbow surgery will force the front office’s hand to add a quality rotation arm.

But the Cubs can’t afford to go after the second tier of available starting pitchers at August’s trade deadline. That’s exactly what they did last year by trading for Michael Soroka, and it got them nowhere because Chicago was still an arm short in October.

The problem is that it could happen again if the Detroit Tigers place Tarik Skubal on the trade block before August 3rd. With the Tigers sitting in last place in the American League Central at 21-33, it’s becoming more likely that Detroit could listen to offers on the back-to-back Cy Young winner.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the Cubs might not have a strong shot at landing Skubal, even if he is available this summer. MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported that rival executives believe that the Skubal sweepstakes will come down to the Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, and Padres.

Now, there haven’t been any reports that the Tigers will definitely trade Skubal later this season. There is still over two months for Detroit to turn its season around, and there is always a chance the team keeps him through the deadline.

However, it isn’t surprising to see the Cubs not among those teams above. It’s hard to see them outbidding any of those teams at this year’s trade deadline for Skubal.

The Dodgers have seven top-100 prospects. The Yankees have a better overall farm system, which includes a top-25 prospect in George Lombard Jr. The Blue Jays have shown to be aggressive over the past year to improve their team, and the Padres just traded away a top-5 prospect in all of baseball to acquire the best closer (Mason Miller) last season.

The Cubs just don’t have the prospects or the aggressiveness to make such a big move. That hasn’t been how the front office has operated over the years and likely won’t change for two months of Skubal.

Instead, Chicago will likely place most of its focus on the second-tier of starting pitchers. Pitchers like Robbie Ray, Freddy Peralta, and Jack Flaherty could be on the Cubs’ radar. These pitchers would no doubt cost less than Skubal at the trade deadline.

While it’s still too early to say who will be finalists for Skubal later this summer, the Cubs don’t feel like a potential landing spot for the superstar pitcher. They don’t have the prospect talent like the other contenders do.

Tags: