Tigers’ (relatively) light return from Dodgers in Tarik Skubal trade confirms Guardians got last laugh

Late last night, the Detroit Tigers confirmed what seemed like a long-term eventuality when they acquired ace Tarik Skubal in exchange for three prospects. 

Although Skubal dominated every team in baseball in his quest to win back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards, his domination of the Guardians was unrivaled.

Not only did he have a 2.42 ERA in 74 regular season 1/3 innings, he also made two fantastic starts against them in the postseason. 

But now he and his dominant left arm are headed to the West Coast to join a super team that’s a clear favorite to win the World Series. And in his place, the Tigers got that aforementioned prospect package consisting of outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-hander River Ryan and right-hander Brady Smith. 

While no two trade packages are the same, that return seems a little light for Skubal considering he’s one of the five best players in the world and is the kind of pitcher who can swing a series at a moment’s notice. 

The Tigers’ future got better with their trade of Skubal, but not so much so that they could be a legitimate long-term threat to the Guardians. 

The Guardians won't have to worry about the Tigers for the rest of 2026

Ryan has the best chance to make an immediate impact of the three. The 27-year-old (weird to think of him as a prospect) made his professional debut with LA in 2024 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, and should make his debut with Detroit as soon as he returns from his hamstring injury. 

He’s only thrown 233 professional innings since the start of 2022, so there’s not much tread on his tires. Still, all of those things are clear caveats that make him seem like a good prospect. His stuff didn’t immediately jump off the page. 

One player who does jump off the page is Hope, who is a top-25 prospect and could become a key part of the Tigers’ next outfield core alongside Max Clark and Riley Greene. He’s spent all season in Double-A (where he’s posted a .899 OPS with 87 RBI), but he’s already stuck out 106 times. 

He’d be the best outfield prospect in the Guardians’ system, but that’s not saying much. 

Smith made his professional debut last year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023, and has made it all the way to High-A. There’s a chance he could be a quality starter, but he’s also a bit of a lottery ticket. 

Even if it seems like the Guardians aren’t going to make the kind of big splash that they seem to desperately need, Detroit’s return for Skubal all but confirms the Tigers aren’t going to be much of a factor in 2027. 

Now it’s on Chris Antonetti and Co. to make the most of the opportunity in front of them and capitalize on the watered-down 2026 iteration of the American League Central. It should be a bit easier without Skubal standing in their way.

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