In a move that would send ripples throughout Major League Baseball, the New York Yankees are seriously contemplating parting ways with one of their most physically imposing and promising young talents to acquire Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
According to The Athletic’s Jim Bowden, the Yankees may be willing to build a trade package around outfielder Spencer Jones and right-hander Ben Hess in pursuit of the left-handed Skubal, especially if they believe they can lock the star pitcher up long-term beyond his current contract.
The High-Stakes Calculus in New York
Bowden was clear in his analysis: the Yankees are unwilling to surrender their elite pitching prospects Carlos Lagrange or Elmer Rodríguez, nor are they prepared to include top infield prospects George Lombard Jr. or Dax Kilby for what would essentially be a rental. However, the combination of Jones and Hess represents a more palatable path to acquiring Skubal’s elite arm.
Jones, the 6-foot-7 former No. 25 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, embodies the classic high-upside, high-risk prospect profile. Blessed with tremendous raw power and plus speed, the towering outfielder also carries significant swing-and-miss concerns, with projections suggesting he could strike out 200 times in a full major-league season. After a brief and challenging stint in the Bronx — hitting just .167 across 10 games — Jones was optioned back to the minors in May. Yankees manager Aaron Boone described the decision as “a really tough call,” praising the young slugger’s competitive at-bats despite the lack of results.
Ben Hess, meanwhile, is working his way back from forearm inflammation that sidelined him for nearly a month. He was activated on May 14, but any team acquiring him — including the Tigers — would conduct thorough medical evaluations before finalizing a deal.
Skubal: The $379 Million Prize
Skubal is currently in the final year of a one-year, $32 million contract, but his open-market value is expected to be enormous. Spotrac projects the Tigers left-hander could command a staggering nine-year, $379 million deal in free agency.
For the Yankees, who have not won a World Series since 2009, the appeal is obvious. Adding Skubal to a rotation already featuring Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Cam Schlittler would create one of the most formidable postseason pitching groups in baseball.
Tigers Trending Toward Selling
Recent reporting from Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal indicates the Tigers are “trending” toward trading Skubal ahead of the August 3 trade deadline. Despite being in a weak American League, Detroit sits well under .500 and faces a steep climb to contention. The combination of Skubal’s impending free agency and the team’s outlook has shifted focus toward maximizing his trade value while he remains healthy.
The Big Question for the Yankees
Would the Yankees really move on from Spencer Jones — a player once viewed as a potential cornerstone — to land Skubal?
Bowden notes the difficulty of such a decision. Jones possesses the kind of rare physical tools that franchises dream about. Yet in the ultra-competitive AL East, with a clear window to chase another championship, New York may decide that an established ace with ace-level stuff is more valuable than a high-variance prospect still refining his approach at the plate.
As the trade deadline approaches, all eyes will be on Brian Cashman and the Yankees front office. A deal centered on Jones and Hess would represent a clear “win-now” mentality — one that could reshape the Bronx roster immediately while reshaping the narrative around a franchise hungry to end its long championship drought.
