Mets pursue ace Tarik Skubal, offering two top pitching prospects in a blockbuster trade prediction that could reshape their rotation.
The New York Mets' strategy this offseason is clear: improve their pitching. It’s a simple strategy, but they have many ways in which they can go about it. They could stick to free agency. They could sign multiple mid-tier guys or sign one or two of the biggest names, leaving little money to re-sign stars Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. They could also hit the trade market this offseason in search of their perfect fit.
In a recent article by Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, Rymer pitched a trade idea that would answer the starting rotation questions in New York next season. He proposed a deal that would land the Mets Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
“The Mets already seem to be the de facto favorites for Skubal, which makes sense,” Rymer wrote. “Even setting aside that they're a win-now team in dire need of a No. 1 starter, they're also one of the few teams that could hope to extend the ace lefty.”
ESPN’s Buster Olney recently reported that teams will expect the Tigers to seriously consider moving their southpaw ace, and a bidding war to ensue. It’s hard to say what the Tigers would demand in return for their Cy Young-winner, but the Mets could certainly provide an enticing package.
In Rymer’s trade, the Mets ship out third baseman Brett Baty, right-handed starter Nolan McLean (Mets No. 1), and right-handed starter Brandon Sproat (Mets No. 5).
Sending out two of your top five prospects, both being starting pitchers, would be a confident but perhaps necessary move. McLean spent eight games with the Mets last season and immediately became the best rotational arm on the roster. He posted a 2.06 ERA on his way to a 5-1 record. Sproat also showed promise in his short time in the majors last season, tossing 20 ⅔ innings of 4.79 ERA baseball. Sending out their two top pitching prospects could haunt Mets fans for the rest of their respective careers, but such a risk is necessary when trading for an ace like Skubal.
In 195 ⅓ innings in 2025, Skubal struck out 241 batters and posted an American League-leading 2.21 ERA. He led the AL with his 187 ERA+, 2.45 FIP, 6.5 WAR, while leading all of baseball with 0.89 WHIP and 7.30 SO/BB. To put it in simple terms, Skubal was the definition of dominant.
Skubal’s a proven playoff pitcher, holding opponents to just a 2.04 ERA in 39 ⅔ innings of postseason baseball. The Mets landing a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber would immediately flip the script on their rotation that desperately needs help. Skubal gives them that help and then some.