There is no Tarik Skubal update that should upset Yankees fans, and here's why

It's true that the New York Yankees' starting rotation faces as many questions as answers heading into 2026. Carlos Rodón's elbow surgery leaves the unit vulnerable early on. Gerrit Cole's timetable to return and what can reasonably be expected of him are both hazy. Luis Gil is inconsistent. Can Clarke Schmidt even be a factor next year?

All of these are weighing on Brian Cashman's mind. All of that uncertainty will have him shopping for another starter this winter, and fans are dreaming about the best one on the trade market. Seeing Tarik Skubal in pinstripes would be the fans' dream outcome, but landing him would be expensive, and the latest updates make it seem nearly impossible.

Let's face it: Skubal landing in the Bronx is a pipe dream, and there's a very valid reason why.

Yankees fans need to come to grips with the fact that Tarik Skubal isn't a realistic option to land in the Bronx

The Detroit Tigers aren't going to get equal value for Skubal, but they'll want to get as close as possible. For the Yankees, that means saying goodbye to Cam Schlittler, George Lombard Jr., Spencer Jones, and more.

If the return package wasn't prohibitive enough, there's still the issue of Skubal hitting free agency at this time next year. You'd better believe that the reigning Cy Young champ, twice running, is going to want to hit the market and squeeze out every last dollar.

That's just logic, and being represented by Scott Boras only adds fuel to that fire. Players of Skubal's caliber hardly ever reach free agency, and when they do, they shatter projections, similar to how Juan Soto was pegged at a $600 million contract and walked away with $765 million. Only a fool would come to an extension in Skubal's position now, especially with an all-new team.

And any team that trades for him is going to want to ensure that if they're selling their future, it isn't just for a one-year rental. Considering all of that, the barrier for any club to get a deal done is steep. But when it comes to the Yankees, there's something else that makes it impossible.

While it's now been beaten (by the paltry sum of a million bucks), Cole once held the record-setting starting pitcher contract when he chose the Yankees' nine-year, $324 million offer back in 2019. Cashman followed that up by handing Max Fried the richest contract ever given to a southpaw at eight years and $218 million.

There's a snowball's chance in hell that the Yankees, a club that spends big but has its limits, is going to add a third record-breaking deal to their rotation, especially with the hefty $162 million pact they gave to Rodón still on the books. It simply won't happen, especially when the number for Skubal is expected to reach or exceed $400 million.

Instead, the Yankees will consider the plethora of other high-end options on the market. As important as adding another starter is, it's far from their only need, and that pesky budget will always be there to contend with. That means shopping in the Michael King-tier isn't just a possibility, it's the reality.

And that's fine. The Yankees are a better team with a starter like King being added to the rotation, a high-end solution in center, and a revamped bullpen than they would be with Skubal and nothing else. So when you see the latest Skubal update as the offseason unfolds, just remember it's never going to happen here.