Nothing gets a baseball fan’s blood pumping like a blockbuster trade. Hall of Famers CC Sabathia, Randy Johnson and Carlos Beltrán are just a handful of the many star players who have switched uniforms down the stretch. The biggest name on this year’s market is Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. While the Philadelphia Phillies don’t need another top-flight starting pitcher, they should get involved in trade talks simply to drive up the price for their competitors.
Skubal has been among the best hurlers in the game over the past few seasons, boasting back-to-back Cy Young Award as well as a pitching Triple Crown and two ERA titles. However, the southpaw is set to hit free agency this coming winter and will be looking for a record-setting contract. With the Tigers’ playoff hopes on life support, it would behoove them to cash in their prized asset for a major haul.
The Phillies may not need Tarik Skubal, but it can't hurt to drive up the price on someone else
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is no stranger to bold moves, having dealt away top prospects Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait for closer Johan Duran last summer. If a player makes sense for his team, Dombrowski isn’t afraid to pull the trigger. The only question is whether or not Skubal makes sense for the Phillies.
They may have done yeoman’s work digging themselves out of a 9-19 hole that got manager Rob Thomson fired, but the truth remains that the Phillies are still not good enough to win a World Series as presently constructed. Aside from Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, the lineup is completely lifeless, while new bullpen addition Brad Keller has been underwhelming and José Alvarado has continued his Jekyll and Hyde act.
The starting rotation has been the team’s biggest strength, with Cristopher Sánchez refusing to allow a run for 50 2/3 innings, a healthy Zack Wheeler back to his usual self, and Jesús Luzardo rounding into form. Aaron Nola looks like a waste of $172 million (even though he's rebounded a bit) and top prospect Andrew Painter has largely failed to impress. Still, that’s a strong trio at the top that can go toe-to-toe with any team come playoff time.
The Phillies could use a rotation boost, but something along the lines of the Noah Syndergaard or Michael Lorenzen additions from a few years ago would work just fine to get them through the dog days. In a short playoff series there’s not much need for a fourth or fifth starter when off days allow a manager to lean heavily upon his top three.
Trading for a dominant arm like Skubal won’t come cheap, and the Phillies don’t have much prospect capital to spare. The big three of Painter, Justin Crawford and Aidan Miller are all likely off the table, as Crawford and Painter are relied upon by the major league club, and Miller's mysterious back injury has scuttled his season thus far. Outside of those three it’s a pretty thin system that only has enough ammo for one difference-making trade, if that.
The Phillies’ biggest need is a powerful right-handed hitter, seeing as righties Alec Bohm, J.T. Realmuto and Adolis García have been complete zeroes at the plate. The long-awaited Mike Trout acquisition may not come to pass, but there are still a handful of enticing right-handed sluggers like Isaac Paredes, Christian Walker and Taylor Ward that could make a difference for the Phils. Gutting the system for Skubal would likely preclude another major deal, and if it comes down to adding a pitcher or a hitter, Dombrowski needs to go for the latter.
However, that doesn’t mean the Hall of Fame-bound executive shouldn't get on the phone with his old club to inquire about Skubal. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden lists the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks as potential suitors. All of those teams are in direct competition with the Phillies for a wild card spot or as potential playoff opponents.
Forcing a vaunted club like the Dodgers or Cubs to pony up an extra prospect or two could pay dividends in a few years if the Phillies are lucky enough to still be contending. Dombrowski may not want to give up what it takes to bring Skubal to his team, but it’s certainly worth his while to make it cost more for one of his rivals.
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