MLB insider compares Tarik Skubal to Pedro Martinez amid trade buzz

Tarik Skubal's future at the Detroit Tigers is the biggest talking point for the team during this offseason. The team is yet to decide whether the two-time reigning American League Cy Young winner will be dealt to another club before the 2026 season or whether they postpone the decision till at most the trade deadline.

Skubal has a 31-10 record with a 2.30 ERA from 62 starts in the last two seasons. Heading into his final year of arbitration, the starter is expected to receive quite possibly the biggest contract for a pitcher in the big leagues.

According to The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen, writing in his column on Tuesday, the chances of the Tigers getting an extension are "slim to none," considering they aren't heavy spenders. He compared Skubal's situation to that of former three-time Cy Young winner and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez.

"Martinez is perhaps the closest comparison to Skubal — a young ace still on the rise, with one remaining year of team control and the odds of an extension slim to none," he wrote.

Pedro Martinez was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Boston Red Sox ahead of the 1998 season. The team was coming off an 87-win season, which in today's sport would have been enough for a playoff spot, but not in a four-team per league playoff format in the late 1990s.

Monreal chose to rebuild instead of keeping their ace and Martinez followed it up with two more Cy Youngs in 1999 and 2000 and helped the Red Sox to their drought-breaking World Series in 2004.

Former Montreal Expos general manager opens up on decision to trade Pedro Martinez

Jim Beattie, who was incharge of taking the decision on behalf of the Montreal Expos management at the time, spoke to Stavenhagen giving him his insights on why he ended up trading Martinez to Boston.

“Trading essentially the best pitcher in baseball when he’s been healthy, he’s a great competitor, he makes everybody around you better, you know every fifth day you have a great chance to win, that’s a very tough spot to be in,” Beattie said.

The Tigers have indeed been better, reaching the American League Divison Series in the last two years. They could use Skubal for another playoff run before risk losing him in free agency.

Stavenhagen does note that the Tigers in the current time will receive a draft pick as compensation after Skubal declines a qualifying offer when he opts for free agency after the 2026 season. But a single draft compensation would not be nearly enough for what the Tigers would receive at the trade deadline, and even more so, now.

Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy