But if they can land him, no prospect should be untouchable. He’s that good" - MLB analyst thinks Yankees should dump top prospect for Tarik Skubal
Tarik Skubal has emerged as one of the league's top pitchers, and an early candidate for the Cy Young Award. Given the Yankees' dire need of pitchers in the run-up to the July 30 MLB trade deadline, one MLB analyst has called for drastic measures for the club in pursuit of the Tigers ace.
In a recent column for the New York Post, writer Jon Heyman examined the Yankees' needs. Heyman, a well-regarded baseball voice, proceeded to claim that the Yankees should shop Spencer Jones, a top prospect, if it gives them a shot at acquiring Skubal. Heyman claimed:
"The Yankees are more focused on the bullpen, and that’s no surprise. But if they can land Skubal, no prospect should be untouchable. He’s that good."
In his fifth season pitching for the Detroit Tigers, the 27 year-old leftie has been outstanding. In addition to his 140 strikeouts across 116 innings, Skubal's .769 winning percentage leads the AL, and his 2.41 ERA currently leads all of MLB among qualified starters.
"Tarik Skubal is the BEST Pitcher in baseball. #RepDetroit" - Woodward Sports Network
In Spencer Jones, the Yankees have a star in the making. Selected by the Bronx Bombers in the 1st round of the 2022 MLB Draft, the 6-foot-6 outfielder is esteemed for both his bat and fielding abilities. Although he has yet to play a game for the New York Yankees, the Vanderbilt University alumnus has hit .237/.317/.403 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs in 73 Double-A games this year.
Since June 15, the Yankees have a team ERA of 5.14, which ranks them 26th out of 30 MLB teams over the past month. Moreover, top starters Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman, Nestor Cortes, and Carlos Rodon have all pitched to ERA figures over 5.00 in the two weeks leading up to the All-Star break.
Tarik Skubal continues his quest for excellence
A first time All-Star, Tarik Skubal pitched a scoreless inning in his first midsummer classic on Tuesday. After the showing, the southpaw told the Detroit Free Press:
"Obviously, I wanted to start the game. I think that'd be a ton of fun and a great honor, but I don't make that decision, and that's that"
With the Tigers now seven games back of the Boston Red Sox in the AL Wild Card race, it looks like Skubal will indeed be traded. Whether or not the Yankees will greenlight the sale of one of their top prospects, however, remains anyone's guess.