Passan's ultimate MLB trade deadline preview: Where all 30 teams stand, best fits and latest intel
The Tarik Skubal sweepstakes has arrived -- not officially from the Detroit Tigers, but telegraphed through the preparations of the interested teams with...
Key points
- The Tarik Skubal sweepstakes has arrived -- not officially from the Detroit Tigers, but telegraphed through the preparations of the interested teams with means to get him by the 6 p.m.
- If Detroit holds Skubal through the end of the season, when he leaves in free agency, the Tigers would reap only a compensatory draft pick in the 30th overall range.
- The teams with the three best records in baseball -- the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays -- also happen to have arguably the three best farm systems in baseball.
- Skubal would cement the Rays as the AL favorite.
What happened
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The Tarik Skubal sweepstakes has arrived -- not officially from the Detroit Tigers, but telegraphed through the preparations of the interested teams with means to get him by the 6 p.m. If Detroit holds Skubal through the end of the season, when he leaves in free agency, the Tigers would reap only a compensatory draft pick in the 30th overall range. The teams with the three best records in baseball -- the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays -- also happen to have arguably the three best farm systems in baseball. Skubal would cement the Rays as the AL favorite. Biggest needs: Starting pitcher, catcher, relief depth Best fit: Tarik Skubal, SP The case for the Rays getting Skubal is quite simple: If they get him, they are the favorite to win the American League pennant. The Rays' 15th-best prospect would be in most teams' top five, and when in the coming days the asks lessen and teams engage more on that tier, Tampa Bay is going to be busy.