I’ve given the Jim Bowden preamble before, but I feel like it’s important that I do this every single time I run with anything he writes. It might not be completely fair to Bowden, but it wouldn’t be completely fair to this audience if I didn’t.

More than any time in the history of modern media, it’s vital to consider your source.

So when I saw The Athletic published trade scenarios for two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, I immediately jumped to the byline to see who had worked on the piece.

Ken Rosenthal? Andy McCullough? Evan Drellich?

Nope.

Jim Bowden.

…OK, so we’re taking this whole thing with a grain of salt.

For those unfamiliar, here’s Bowden’s bio on his author page on The Athletic’s website:

“Jim Bowden, a national writer for The Athletic MLB, was formerly the Sr. VP and general manager for the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals for a combined 16 years, including being named the 1999 MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America. He is the lead MLB Analyst and Insider for CBS Sports-HQ and a regular talk-show host on SiriusXM for the MLB Network and Fantasy channels. Follow him on twitter: @JimBowdenGM.”

Notice a key title missing from Bowden’s bio:

Reporter.

Bowden is known throughout the industry as someone who plays a little fast-and-loose when it comes to rumors and hearsay. I’m not telling you to discount everything he says at all times, but I am asking you to take everything he says with a grain of salt.

Here’s what he wrote on Thursday about a potential trade package from the Red Sox over to the Tigers to acquire Skubal:

“Potential trade return: LHP Connelly Early, UT Kristian Campbell, OF Jhostynxon García and RHP Christian Foutch

“The Red Sox are coming off a postseason berth and are looking to build on that momentum. Adding Skubal and pairing him with Garrett Crochet would give Boston the top left-handed duo in baseball.

“They could offer an even more well-rounded package than the Dodgers’ group, led by Early, who would immediately go into the Tigers’ rotation. He made four starts for the Red Sox in his first taste of the major leagues and was impressive, as shown by his 29 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings with a 2.33 ERA and 1.086 WHIP. He was similarly impressive in the minor leagues, putting up a 2.60 ERA in 100 1/3 innings split between Double A and Triple A. His four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup are a strong combo, and his above-average extension makes his mid-90s fastball play up.

“Campbell would be another big piece of the trade return. The consensus 2024 Minor League Player of the Year signed an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Red Sox in April and then won Rookie of the Month for March/April. He struggled after that, was demoted to the minors in late June and stayed there the rest of the season. It was a disappointing first season, but he still projects to hit for average at the major-league level with 20 home run power. He can play all over the field defensively, but he will likely end up at second base long-term.

“García is Boston’s best outfield prospect but he is blocked at the major-league level by Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony and Jarren Duran, so putting him in this deal makes sense.

“Foutch was Boston’s fifth-round pick this summer out of the University of Arkansas. He is a reliever with the upside of a high-leverage bullpen arm when fully developed.”

Outside of Early, I don’t think the rest of that package is intriguing enough to land one of baseball’s very best arms.

Campbell’s stock is at an all-time low right now, with reports surfacing from the GM Meetings in Las Vegas last week that Boston is considering sending Campbell to winter ball in the coming weeks to help him continue working on his swing. You’re only doing that for a player like Campbell if two things are true (and both can be, by the way): you really feel like he needs the help, or you’re showcasing him for a potential trade. Is that really a guy you think profiles as the second most attractive chip in a deal that would land Skubal?

And while Garcia showed some incredible power in Worcester this past summer, he looked completely lost at the plate in limited action in the majors in 2025. I heard someone on the radio this week compare him to Jonny Gomes, and I can’t get that comp out of my head. The swing, the build, it all makes so much sense. Would Jonny freaking Gomes ever be a third-best piece in a blockbuster trade for a mega star in their prime?

Foutch is someone I can’t really tell you anything about. And that should tell you everything you need to know about why he wouldn’t be a good sweetener.

If Detroit is willing to deal with Boston, you have to imagine Jarren Duran is a part of the discussion. It’s either him or Wilyer Abreu - but as I’ve written on here recently, my gut tells me Duran is the one of the two most likely to be on the move. The Tigers don’t necessarily have a “need” in the outfield, but the upside of Duran would certainly raise the ceiling of their existing group.

I think if it’s Early, Duran, Campbell and someone like Foutch, you’re probably a lot closer to hitting the nail on the head.

With all of this said - I need Craig Breslow to do everything in his power to get this deal done.

You bring in Skubal, and I think you immediately vault to the top of the AL as a perennial World Series contender the next three-to-five years. A 1-2 punch of Skubal and Crochet would mean you’re basically starting every playoff series moving forward up 2-0. Pitching is everything, and having that duo at the top of the rotation gives you something barely any teams in baseball can get close to.

Please do better than what Bowden suggested here, Breslow! Get this done!

Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.