The Orioles are reportedly coming for Tarik Skubal, armed with the best farm system in baseball. Can they make an offer the Tigers can't refuse?
Baltimore not only boasts the No. 1 overall prospect in shortstop Jackson Holliday, who would just so happen to fill a glaring need in Detroit, but two more top-15 prospects, per MLB Pipeline: catcher/first baseman Sammy Basallo and third baseman Coby Mayo.
Mike Valenti proposes the following package for Skubal: Holliday, Mayo and the Orioles' No. 6 prospect outfielder Dylan Beavers. And if the Orioles also want a reliever from the Tigers, "pick one," says Valenti. "Done and done."
"If you made this trade today, two of them would be starting for the Tigers Friday night in Toronto. Beavers will be here Opening Day ’25," says Valenti.
Holliday, per MLB Pipeline, is quite arguably "best pure hitting prospect in the game" and a good defender at short. Mayo is a power hitter who has been compared to Austin Riley. Both are excelling in Triple-A. Beavers, who has drawn comparisons to Christian Yelich, is having a solid year in Double-A.
With this package of players, says Valenti, here's the Tigers' Opening Day infield next season: "Mayo at third, Holliday at short, Jace Jung at second, Colt Keith at first. Beavers in the outfield. Oh, and we sign one human being in free agency."
"I’m not busting anyone’s balls, I don’t know how that makes me a feeder team. I don’t know that makes me 10 years away. Hell, re-sign Jack Flaherty. Now the top three in your rotation is Flaherty, Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe."
At the very least, says Valenti, Tigers president of baseball ops Scott Harris needs to work the phones ahead of the July 30 trade deadline:
"If you believe that Scott Harris is shrewd and smart and a genius, here’s my ask. It’s not that he makes the trade. It’s that I would love nothing more than to read a report that the Orioles turned down the ask, that the Tigers asked for Holliday, Mayo, Beavers and the Orioles said no. Good."
He adds, "When I say this is about whether Scott Harris is any good at his job, it’s about playing the game." Harris is in position to incite a bidding war.
"Dodgers, Yankees and Orioles, at least two of those three are interested. Procure an offer that you have to take to your baseball people and have a real, hard conversation. And if you decide that it’s not good enough, I’m not mad at you.
"What I won’t accept is a report, 'Tigers not taking calls on Skubal.' That’s stupid. You have to play the game. And at the end of the game, if you decide you have not been overwhelmed enough, I will keep Tarik Skubal. Just fine."