How Tigers can incite a huge bidding war for Tarik Skubal at trade deadline

How Tigers can incite a huge bidding war for Tarik Skubal at trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Detroit Tigers are looking like one of the worst teams in baseball this season, and while they’ve been better in June so far, they’re still very much on the outside looking in for the playoff hunt.

Unless they go on an incredible run, the Tigers are likely to be sellers at the trade deadline. In such a scenario, Tarik Skubal is sure to draw plenty of interest in the trade market.

But, as CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa highlighted, the Tigers actually could incite a massive bidding war for Skubal beyond the normal big spenders having interest. The way they can do so is simple: take on most, if not all, of Skubal’s remaining contract.

How Tigers can incite a huge Tarik Skubal bidding war

“If the Tigers are smart,” Axisa writes, “they’ll pay down some (or all) of the $9 million or so that will still be owed to Skubal at the deadline to improve the return and get more teams involved.”

While clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Diego Padres are sure to be interested in Skubal, some other teams might be on the outside looking in due to monetary constraints.

Skubal is making $32 million this year, and at the deadline, a team acquiring him will owe Skubal $9 million or so. But the Tigers can take on that money and open the door for some other lower-spending clubs to join the fray.

MORE: Tarik Skubal being traded by Tigers would help him in free agency

Teams like the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, and other small-market clubs seeking a postseason run and a new ace would have a much easier path to taking on Skubal’s contract if they don’t have to pay much, if any of it.

Of course, such a change would mean the Tigers are going to ask for a bit more in the trade return, but since he’s a half-season rental, the cost won’t be too egregious for teams to spend to acquire Skubal.

Adding the back-to-back Cy Young ace would be a dream outcome for any buyer at the trade deadline, and if the Tigers want to get the best return possible, allowing for these small-market teams to join in on the bidding war would be a great way to do so.