The MLB trade deadline is creeping closer, and Tarik Skubal’s name is still at the top of every rumor list. But before Thursday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals, the Detroit Tigers ace dropped a bomb: his focus isn’t on a new team. It’s squarely on winning in Detroit, and he’s not letting any of the noise get to him.
Skubal Shrugs Off the Rumor Mill
Every five days, it’s the same story: Is this Skubal’s last start for the Tigers? Will some contender throw an insane offer at Detroit? Skubal isn’t biting. He straight-up told reporters that all that speculation is “out of my control.” His mission is simple: “I’m going to do my best to put our team in a position to win a baseball game tomorrow, and that’s really all I can ask myself to do.” Even with whispers about Comerica Park potentially seeing his last home start, Skubal isn’t buying it. He’s got “two more home starts scheduled, just in general, not because of the trade deadline.” He just likes pitching at home, and if something changes, “it’ll set in when it needs to set in, but not right now.” Talk about a calm under pressure approach!
Even Boras Might Be Out of the Loop
You’d think Scott Boras, the super agent, would be knee-deep in all the trade talks, right? Turns out, maybe not even he knows the full story. Skubal hinted that he’s not sure “how informed Scott Boras is going to be with those decisions” or “how much the front office talks to him.” According to Skubal, anything he or Boras said would just be “speculation.” It’s a wild reminder that while we’re all glued to our phones watching rumors fly, the players themselves often have no clue what’s brewing behind closed doors. Skubal summed it up: “We’re in the same boat. I’m locked in on each start, just going out there, competing, and trying to win as many baseball games as I can for the Detroit Tigers. That’s my focus.”
He Wants to Win It All in Detroit. Seriously.
The biggest mic drop came when Skubal was asked where he *wants* to play. His answer? Zero ambiguity. “I think we have a chance to win a World Series. I’ve believed that since spring training, and that belief has never changed.” Despite the Tigers being in a “tough situation,” he says they’ve “come out of it playing really good baseball.” He’s motivated to win a World Series for Detroit, the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him. “That’s always been the goal, and that won’t change unless I’m told I’m on a different team.” Talk about loyalty and belief, especially when the national narrative has him already packing his bags.
So, what’s next? The trade deadline is looming, and Skubal has two more home starts scheduled. Every single outing is going to be under a microscope. Can the Tigers keep him? Or will a contender make an offer too good to refuse, despite Skubal’s passionate desire to stay and win it all for the Motor City? This story just keeps getting wilder.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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