Two-Time Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal Blasted a 99.9 MPH Fastball and It's About to Cost Someone an Absolute Haul
Alright, Seattle, buckle up! While our Mariners are out there grinding, picking up a solid 3-1 win against the Orioles at T-Mobile Park last night, the rest of Major League Baseball is already losing its mind over the trade deadline. We're less than seven weeks away from the August 3 cut-off, and ESPN's Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan just dropped their list of 100 potential trade candidates. And let me tell you, the guy at the very top is a monster, and he's about to make some team pay a ridiculous price.
The Unstoppable Ace That Everyone Wants
We're talking about Tarik Skubal, folks, and he's not just good, he's the best pitcher in the world. This dude, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is sitting with an 85% chance of getting dealt! Can you believe it? He came back from midseason bone chip surgery in record time, and guess what? He hit an insane 99.9 mph with his fastball. Any doubt about his stuff returning? GONE. This guy's command is plus, and his arsenal is just unfair: a 95 to 98 mph four-seamer, one of the league's best changeups, a nasty sinker, a slider, and a slurve, all above average to plus. He's the dream deadline candidate, an ace who can legit carry a team in the postseason. You just know whichever contender lands him, whether it's the Dodgers, Yankees, Braves, Brewers, Blue Jays, or Rays, they are going to pay an enormous price. Happily, too.
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Why is he even available? His team, the Detroit Tigers, have dug themselves into a deep hole, sitting six games back of that final wild card spot and trailing six other teams. They are almost certainly going to move him and squeeze every single ounce of value out of him before his control runs out at the end of this season. It's wild to think about what a talent like that could command in a deal.
Buxton's Loyalty vs. The Rebuild
Right behind Skubal is another game-changer, Byron Buxton from the Minnesota Twins. His trade likelihood is lower at 30% because he's got that no-trade protection, which is fair enough given his loyalty to Minnesota. But at 32, the man wants to win, and the Twins aren't exactly doing that this year, and probably not next year without a huge spending spree. Minnesota is staring down an almost full rebuild, and if Buxton decides to waive that no-trade clause, his chances of moving shoot right up, just like Skubal's.
If that happens, buckle up, because he's got two more years after 2026 at a reasonable $15 million per year, and he'll fetch a monster return. The scouting report is the same as when he went No. 2 in the 2012 draft: elite runner, elite defender, with loud bat speed that's turned into regular in-game power. What a player!
So, while the entire league is buzzing about these potential blockbusters, let's keep our eyes glued to our Mariners, who just took down the Orioles 3-1. Every game counts right now, and our guys, like Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez, are out there battling. Let's keep that energy going, Emerald City!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.