Tigers' offseason treatment of Yankees is laughable after Dodgers-Tarik Skubal trade

On Saturday night, the Yankees watched what was left of their World Series hopes evaporate when the Dodgers traded for Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster deal with the Tigers. Los Angeles was pretty much the only team that couldn't acquire Skubal if MLB wanted to be saved. But what's done is done.

To make matters worse, as we suspected, the package was viewed as light by most who reacted to the deal. Time will tell, but historically these types of trades rarely work out for the team that's selling. And in this case, it felt like the Tigers could've gotten a lot more.

The Dodgers sent outfielder Zyhir Hope (ranked No. 5 in LA's system), pitcher River Ryan (No. 7) and Brady Smith (No. 17) to Detroit. The flaws in the deal are clear. Hope was the third- or fourth-best Dodgers outfield prospect. Ryan is 28 years old and coming off Tommy John surgery. Smith was a third-round pick in 2023 who only just reached High-A. No disrespect intended here, but this is a "spare parts" blockbuster. Yes the Dodgers surrendered significant value, but it was all a surplus on their end.

Meanwhile ... remember what the Tigers reportedly asked the Yankees for in the offseason when Brian Cashman supposedly inquired about Skubal? Yeah, hilarious. We understand the circumstances were much different ... but hilarious.

Yankees' offseason trade package rumor for Tarik Skubal now looks objectionable

To trade their 2026 playoff hopes (which they ended up doing Saturday anyway), the Tigers demanded the entirety of the Yankees' future. Schlittler is a Cy Young candidate (and frontrunner). Rice is an MVP candidate). Lombard is one of the best prospects (and fastest risers) in the sport.

Getting a full year of Skubal is far different than two months. Waving the white flag by trading your franchise player in March would've murdered morale far worse than Saturday's trade. But the Tigers seemingly didn't take into account that they controlled the entire trade deadline. They held the crown jewel. They held the keys to the piece that pretty much would have guaranteed the Dodgers the first three-peat in MLB since the 1998-2000 Yankees. And they settled for this after rumors suggested they thought it was reasonable for the Yankees to trade three franchise cornerstones. That perhaps turned Cashman and Co. off during talks this time around, even though it does feel strange they couldn't top this Dodgers offer. One day we'll know the full story.

Whether this has truth to it or not, no Yankees fan ever wants to hear about an unfair advantage ever again. Laugh at them for choking all you want, but don't sit here and tell a modern day Yankees fan that all they do is get what they want. That's the Dodgers now. And it should take decades to reverse that notion, if the Yankees can even come back from this with no clear bonafide World Series contention years in sight.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow