The Atlanta Braves have consistently been pointed to as a potential landing spot for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal. This makes a great deal of sense for both sides when you consider the lack of established arms currently in Atlanta's rotation. An aging Chris Sale is the only player you can point to currently rostered that Braves fans are going to trust to step on the mound during the postseason and give the roster a great chance at coming away with a win.
For the Tigers, if you're going to trade away a franchise arm as talented as Skubal, you want to get young pitching in return. The Braves have no shortage of young arms who appear to be on the cusp of establishing themselves as elite options. JR Ritchie stands out as one name that could be incredibly enticing for the Tigers looking for controllable starters.
It is at least worth having a consistent dialogue as the Braves explore all avenues to get better. With that said, if the Braves are going to land Skubal, it needs to come with an understanding in place that an extension can be signed and add a top of the rotation arm that Atlanta is clearly lacking as Sale continues to age.
Spencer Strider hasn't performed at the expected levels, and injuries have limited the development of Atlanta's remaining promising pieces. Trading for Skubal should not only be pushing your chips to the center of the table in a World Series effort, but also done to solidify a position long term.
Braves Should Only Trade for Tarik Skubal with Extension Talks Already in Place
Paying what Skubal would demand on the market might seem extreme, but it is unquestionably worth it as the Braves continue to benefit from locking down their core early in their careers. Bargain deals are running out of time to produce another World Series, and adding Skubal to boost not only this season but beyond is an undeniably smart choice that keeps your window of contention open.
For the Braves, there is a lot to consider here, as you would have to pay the price of prospects as well as the contract. It could be easier to talk yourself into adding a more controllable arm that doesn't come at such a high cost.
No matter the decision the franchise makes, there is no denying that there is a need to add pitching the franchise can rely on heading into the postseason. No arm potentially hitting the market has more upside than Skubal, and the Braves have the money and prospects to get a deal done.
Add us as a preferred source on Google