Ohtani-Skubal Trade Warning
Red Sox Analyst Warns Tigers Against Skubal Trade Hesitation, Citing Angels' Ohtani Blunder
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MLB analyst Jared Carrabis is sounding the alarm over the Detroit Tigers' reluctance to trade ace Tarik Skubal. Skubal, who has won back-to-back Cy Young Awards, will become a free agent after the 2026 season. College Football Network reports that Carrabis believes Detroit is heading toward a costly mistake — one already made infamous by the Los Angeles Angels.
Carrabis put it bluntly: "Ask the Angels how much they regret not trading Shohei Ohtani." The Angels held onto Ohtani at the 2023 trade deadline. He left for the Dodgers that offseason on a record $700 million deal. Detroit risks a similar outcome if it neither trades nor extends Skubal.
Carrabis Warns Tigers Not to Repeat Angels' Ohtani Mistake
Carrabis, a well-known Red Sox analyst and MLB commentator, drew a direct line between the Angels' 2023 decision and Detroit's current situation. The Angels kept Ohtani despite knowing he was likely to leave. They got nothing in return. Carrabis warned that the Tigers face the exact same risk with Skubal if they stay on the sidelines.
His message was simple: trade Skubal now for a big return, or lock him up with an extension. Doing nothing is the worst option. The Tigers have until the August 3 trade deadline to decide. After that window closes, their leverage shrinks significantly.
Tigers' Playoff Push Is Complicating the Trade Decision
Detroit's hesitation is not without reason. The Tigers have surged recently and are pushing toward postseason contention. Trading Skubal would likely end any playoff hopes this year. The team appears to believe it can compete — making Skubal more valuable to them as a roster piece than as trade bait.
That calculus is risky. If Detroit falls short of the playoffs, they will have kept Skubal for nothing. He will then have just one year left before free agency. At that point, trading him yields far less in return than moving him now at peak value.
Dodgers and Other Contenders Circle Skubal at Deadline
The Los Angeles Dodgers are among the teams watching Skubal's situation closely. According to SI, the Dodgers have been without key players for much of the 2025 season. That has pushed them to explore trade options for elite starting pitching. Skubal would be a massive addition to any contender's rotation.
Players around the league have taken notice too. SI reports that stars from the Padres and Giants have already weighed in publicly on the idea of the Dodgers landing Skubal. That level of chatter shows just how much star power Skubal carries heading into the deadline.
Extension or Trade: Tigers Must Choose Before It's Too Late
Carrabis offered Detroit a clear path forward. Either extend Skubal now with a long-term deal, or trade him while his value is at its highest. A back-to-back Cy Young winner in his prime does not come around often. Waiting on both options — as the Angels did with Ohtani — is the one move that has no upside.
The August 3 deadline is fast approaching. Detroit's front office faces one of the harder decisions in recent MLB history. Keep a generational pitcher for a playoff run that may not happen, or sell high and rebuild around the return. The Angels already showed what regret looks like. The Tigers now have a chance to learn from it.
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