Rays have one major problem with a trade for Tigers' Tarik Skubal

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Rays have one major problem with a trade for Tigers' Tarik Skubal originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Tampa Bay Rays are expected to buy at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and while they've been linked to players like Luis Arraez, Ryan Jeffers, and CJ Abrams, among others, the top name connected to Tampa Bay has been Tarik Skubal.

Of all the potential upgrades the Rays could make this season, Skubal joining the rotation is the exact kind of move that'd give the Rays a real good chance to make the World Series in a wide-open American League.

However, as ESPN's Jeff Passan highlighted, there is one issue for the Rays as the MLB trade deadline draws near with a Skubal deal. If the Detroit Tigers ask for top prospect Theo Gillen, the Rays won't want to make such a deal.

Rays have a Theo Gillen problem with a Tarik Skubal trade​

"That said, if a trade requires Theo Gillen -- the dynamic center fielder who at 20 looks as if he more than belongs in Double-A -- Skubal is unlikely to be a Ray," Passan writes.

While Rays fans will be happy to know the team highly values Gillen, hearing that he could be the player that stops them from landing Skubal is a bit worrying.

That doesn't mean the Rays won't be able to land Skubal, as they could still put together a strong package without Gillen. But if the Tigers play hardball and demand someone like Gillen, then the Rays might find it difficult to swing such a trade.

MORE: Tigers expected to trade Tarik Skubal but still try to contend without him

Skubal is a fantastic starting pitcher who'd pair incredibly well with Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Nick Martinez to make one of the best rotations in MLB.

The cost will be very high, as Skubal, even though he's a rental, is a back-to-back Cy Young winner with a 2.79 ERA this year and remains one of the best pitchers in baseball.

As long as that cost doesn't include Gillen, the Rays will be a landing spot. But, with the Los Angeles Dodgers the favorites, and both the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers as potential suitors, the Rays might have a hard time winning the Skubal sweepstakes.

The Rays have a chance to trade for Skubal, but Gillen is not someone the Rays are willing to trade for Skubal, which could pose a problem.

More MLB news:​

• Yankees are ‘leading candidate’ to trade for Twins’ Ryan Jeffers
• Red Sox ‘would love’ to trade for Angels’ Zach Neto or Astros’ Jeremy Pena
• Giants willing to trade Heliot Ramos in big news for many MLB clubs
• Padres likely not to trade Mason Miller amid latest update
• Mets ‘desperate’ to trade Luis Robert Jr. after trade failure

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