Scott Boras ally just threw the Cubs directly into Tarik Skubal trade speculation

As the Detroit Tigers keep circling the drain, the Tarik Skubal trade rumors are only getting louder. The Motor City Kitties finally snapped their home losing streak on Wednesday, but it came at a cost, with two more injury scares in Casey Mize and Kenley Jansen that they just can't afford. Considering their circumstances and a dismal 22-34 record, they appear even worse off than when Jon Heyman got the ball rolling on Skubal speculation. Now, though, the Chicago Cubs have gotten a proper mention as a potential suitor.

Heyman recently spoke at length on Bleacher Report about Skubal and the likely destinations to which he could be shipped off if the Tigers pull the trigger. It's mostly speculative, but he named the Cubs as his top landing spot, ahead of the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Toronto Blue Jays. His reasons were obvious — the loss of Cade Horton to Tommy John and Justin Steele's delayed return, in particular, have left the team without a clear ace. On top of that, Tigers GM Scott Harris's history with the organization and knowledge of the prospects could make facilitating a deal a bit easier, even if the Cubs aren't a particularly highly-ranked farm system.

But Heyman didn't stop there. He made a point to mention that the Cubs are "floating around a bit" in their pursuit of starters, though he didn't say how much engagement they've had with the Tigers, let alone on Skubal. It's not much, but the implication is that Jed Hoyer and company are going to be even more aggressive than usual to find that piece to anchor the rotation. Keep in mind that Heyman said all this in the wake of their tenth-straight loss and hammered home a belief that, barring an even more unmitigated disaster, this team is a clear-cut buyer.

It's worth noting that Heyman wouldn't rule out another team stepping in, like the Brewers or Braves. However, Skubal's record-smashing $32 million arbitration price tag would likely be a roadblock to any smaller-market organizations unless they could convince the Tigers to eat some of the remaining money. Evidently, that was not seen as a problem for the Cubs in his eyes, even though they're already over the luxury tax with over $245 million committed.

Now, there is a lot to unpack with this fit. We previously discussed how the potential cost to trading for Skubal could ultimately be prohibitive to the Cubs, given their current ownership, front office group, and farm system. Hoyer has been pretty aggressive at the deadline overall — 2025 excluded for various reasons — but as FanSided's Robert Murray heard from several front office executives, the prospect cost will be eye-watering for a rental, with two quality top-100 names being the starting point. Perhaps the relationship between Harris and Hoyer makes sorting something out a bit easier, but it seems like a stretch to imagine the Cubs offering a better package than the other teams listed when their highest-ranked farmhand is Jefferson Rojas at #83.

Moreover, after just breaking their ten-game skid, the Cubs still need to prove they're capable of playing better. Skubal is awesome, once again sporting an excellent 2.70 ERA through seven starts, but he's a pricey move best made by a team that's an obvious playoff contender with real World Series chances right now.

There's no ignoring Scott Boras in any Tarik Skubal Cubs trade rumors

The biggest question remaining, though, is obviously Skubal's health. At the beginning of May, he underwent a procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow and has since made a recovery that, under prior circumstances, would be nothing short of miraculous. The minimally invasive NanoScope procedure has seemingly sped up his timeline significantly, to the point that he's already been ramping up to game speed. Among those touting the quick recovery is, unsurprisingly, his agent, Scott Boras. With Skubal in a walk year and in line for a record-breaking payday, Boras has every incentive to want to reassure teams of his health.

Perhaps that also makes Heyman's insights worthy of a little skepticism. Heyman has not been afraid to put out reports that sound as if they came directly from Boras to drum up a player's market. There's no need to use the Cubs or any team to try to drive a price up yet, but the trade discussions are helpful to Boras in theory, if only because it sends the message that all these competitive teams, even one as conservative as Chicago, wouldn't be concerned about Skubal's elbow. Either way, the Skubal sweepstakes will be worth watching, especially as the trade deadline draws closer.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow