Olney: Red Sox ‘well-positioned’ to try and trade for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal

The Red Sox already boast one American League Cy Young Award finalist on their roster in Garrett Crochet. But could Boston have both Crochet and the likely 2026 Cy Young frontrunner in Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in their rotation next season? ESPN’s Buster Olney believes that the Red Sox have the resources in place to make a legitimate run at the reigning Cy Young Award winner this winter if Detroit dangles him out on the trade market. Even though Skubal — who could be the first back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner since Pedro Martinez (1999-2000) — has been a key cog on a playoff-bound Detroit team the last two seasons, the Tigers might be hesitant to retain him as an eventual free agent who is set to command a massive new contract after the 2026 season. “Other teams believe the Tigers will seriously consider moving him if they can glean what they want in a trade — and there is every reason to expect a significant bidding war for Skubal, who will be eligible for free agency after next season,” Olney wrote. “The Mariners are expected to be among the teams that go after Skubal, to bring him back to the city where he attended college,” Olney added. “The Mets, of course, have an acute need for an ace to lead their rotation — a need borne out through their late-season collapse — and they have the sort of major-league-ready young talent that the Tigers will want, like Jonah Tong. The Red Sox are well-positioned to make a run at Skubal, if they want.” Skubal, 28, has arguably been the best pitcher in the American League over the last few seasons. After winning the 2024 AL Cy Young Award, he followed that up leading the AL in both ERA (2.21) and WHIP (0.891) this summer — striking out 241 batters and walking just 33 over 195.1 innings of work. A Red Sox rotation anchored by both Skubal and Crochet would give Boston one of — if not the best — rotations in baseball moving forward. Boston has the assets needed to pry a player like Skubal away from Detroit, be it MLB regulars like Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela — or younger assets like Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and other trade chips in the farm system. The Red Sox also have the fiscal flexibility to also retain Skubal long-term with a sizable contract if they are able to trade for him. The writing is on the wall that the Red Sox will be active this offseason in search of another proven starter to pair with Crochet, with Minnesota’s Joe Ryan standing as another potential trade target.