Tarik Skubal could be helping one team recreate their “Four Aces” era.
The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be a player for the Detroit Tigers ace lefty Skubal ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Monday. Heyman notes that the Phillies will be an “aggressive shopper” this year.
Philadelphia currently sits at 50-41 this season, occupying an NL Wild Card spot and sitting 3.5 games back of the NL East division lead. They have posted three straight years of 90-plus wins, cementing themselves as one of Major League Baseball’s top powerhouses.
Meanwhile, the Phillies already have a formidable rotation with Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo leading the charge. Adding Skubal to the mix would make them a big-time force to be reckoned with this October alongside the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the division rival Atlanta Braves.
As for Skubal, who is widely expected to be dealt as a soon-to-be free agent on the 40-50 Tigers, he had originally gotten linked to four notable teams on the trade market (none of which were the Phillies). Some other big names have since emerged from the woodwork, and now Philadelphia appears to jumping in on the action as well.
The Phillies might not be the frontrunners for Skubal (a title that currently belongs to this rival team). But when it comes to the most intriguing potential Skubal suitors, Philadelphia is right there at the top of the list.
