Tigers' eye-opening Tarik Skubal contract gap screams blockbuster Cubs trade

Power pitching has been what the Chicago Cubs have been looking for over the last several years, and it hasn't yielded much success. Daniel Palencia certainly is of that description, but for a Cubs' pitching staff that has lacked swing-and-miss stuff from their rotation, it's been a lost art. That is expected to change this offseason, with the Cubs eyeing power pitchers, but there could be some roadblocks.

Take your pick of Framber Valdez, Dylan Cease, or Ranger Suarez, and they would look great at the top of the Cubs' rotation to start the 2026 season. What will prevent that from happening is that each of those three pitchers is expected to land a deal that will rival what the Cubs gave Yu Darvish following the 2017 season.

The Cubs handed out a 6-year deal to Darvish worth $126MM, and that represents the last time that the Cubs swam in the deepest of waters to address their need for pitching. Expecting the Cubs to do so again this offseason feels like a lost cause, but a golden opportunity may have just fallen into their laps.

Tarik Skubal's contract situation with the Detroit Tigers figures to be one of the most important storylines of the offseason. Skubal seems all but destined to win his second consecutive Cy Young Award and is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. While the Tigers have remained mum on Skubal's contract, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that there is a pretty wide gap currently between the team and player.

Tigers' failure with Tarik Skubal could be a Cubs opportunity

Heyman places the gap in the range of $250MM, with the Tigers' last offer being less than $170MM last offseason. As it stands, if Skubal hits free agency, there is an expectation that he will land a deal worth at least $400MM.

The next part of the conversation is speculation that the Tigers might entertain the idea of trading Skubal. First and foremost, a trade this offseason likely is off the table, considering the Tigers spent most of the season as the best team in baseball. A trade at next season's deadline could be on the table, especially if it is clear at that point that Skubal will be testing free agency.

If that's the case, the Cubs would need to make that call to the Tigers. The benefit for the Cubs, if there is a scenario that the Tigers would shop Skubal, is that they are in the National League. The Tigers likely would prefer to deal with a National League team instead of having to face Skubal during a potential playoff run.

Above the top position-player prospects the Cubs have, Jaxon Wiggins would probably be the key to any trade with the Tigers, as it would give them a long-term option to replace Skubal with. It would be a bold move, but it's avoiding that type of move in past seasons that has cost the Cubs.