Yankees Trade Rumors Link NY to Tarik Skubal, More Starting Pitchers Amid MLB Offseason

After the Miami Marlins traded Edward Cabrera to the Chicago Cubs, the New York Yankees reportedly turned their attention to other pitching targets on the trade market.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Thursday that the American League East team "checked in" with the Detroit Tigers regarding Tarik Skubal's availability but left thinking it would take "half the team" to acquire him.

Given the high prices, New York also looked into Freddy Peralta and MacKenzie Gore.

That Detroit has such a high asking price for Skubal comes as no surprise.

While he could become a free agent after the 2026 campaign and is a potential trade option if the Tigers decide they want to get a haul in return instead of signing him to a massive deal, he is arguably the best pitcher in baseball.

At 29 years old, his resume includes two American League Cy Young awards, two ERA titles and two All-Star Game nods. He won the pitching Triple Crown in 2024 when he led the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228) and then followed up with another Cy Young season in 2025.

He would be a season-altering addition for the Yankees or almost any other team, but it doesn't seem like there will be an actual trade.

New York could use starting pitching depth since Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt are all question marks for health reasons. They could all return at some point during the 2026 campaign, but it remains to be seen exactly when that will happen.

Peralta could be a more realistic option than Skubal, as he also has just one season remaining on his contract and plays for a Milwaukee Brewers team that has been aggressive when trading pitchers ahead of free agency in the past.

The two-time All-Star finished with a 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 204 strikeouts in 176.2 innings last season and could help anchor the rotation.

As for Gore, he was an All-Star last season for the Washington Nationals and would have more team control with free agency not scheduled until after the 2027 campaign.

He surely wouldn't cost as much as Skubal and may even require less than Peralta, which means he could be the type of injury insurance the Yankees look to add this offseason.