STEVE SICA - Motor City Madness: Why the Mets Should Steer Away from Skubal THIS Offseason

The World Series hadn’t even started yet, and Mets fans across X were already scheming on trades to bring Detroit ace Tarik Skubal to New York. The trades would involve the Mets sending a king’s ransom to the Tigers for one year of Skubal’s services before he hits the open market at the end of the 2026 season. Now that the World Series is over, the true MLB offseason can begin, and if the Mets do go after Skubal and nuke their farm system to get him, it could be a king-sized mistake.

I primarily write about Mets prospects, so I’ll admit, I’m biased about keeping as much of your top MiLB talent as possible. Of course, that’s not always realistic, especially since in the last few years the Mets have been buyers rather than sellers come July, a welcome change from years past when they were irrelevant by June. There are plenty of times where rolling the dice and trading away prospects for a proven veteran makes sense and works out. This time, though, the Mets parting with multiple top-30 prospects for a year of Tarik Skubal seems like a massive overpay.

If the Tigers shop Skubal this winter, they'll command a steep price for him

When you look up and down the Mets roster, be honest with yourself: is it really a Tarik Skubal away from winning the World Series? Would he put the Mets over the hump to knock off the Dodgers or even the Phillies for the NL East title? Right now the Mets roster has several holes. Starting pitching, what ultimately led to the Mets’ second-half collapse, needs the most work. McLean, Tong, and Sproat were nice additions late in the season, but going into 2026, it’s likely that only McLean would make the MLB roster by Opening Day. Skubal would give the Mets a true ace, and having him and McLean as a one-two punch is tempting, but beyond that, the rotation would have just as many question marks as it did all summer.

Peterson, who had a great first half, struggled in the second half, leaving us wondering which version shows up in 2026. Kodai Senga? A similar story: lights out in the first three months, then injured, and ending the season with Triple-A Syracuse. Finally, there’s Clay Holmes and Sean Manaea. I like them both, and Holmes was consistent most of the season, but Manaea is coming off a rocky 2025. So while the top of the rotation is solid with Skubal, the rest remains a mystery.

The bullpen isn’t much better. If the Mets do bring back Edwin Díaz, the road to him is littered with potholes. Of course, the Mets will likely bring in free-agent talent to shore up the bullpen beyond Díaz, but it’s a sore point for this team going into 2026. The Mets do have some intriguing options to call up, with names like Dylan Ross and Brett Banks, but they’re far from sure things.

The lineup, which was up and down all of 2025, remains a problem going into 2026. Will Pete Alonso come back? Can Brett Baty or Ronny Mauricio figure it out? Can Francisco Alvarez stay healthy? This is where the Mets dumping prospects for Skubal could backfire. The Mets’ core is aging, with Lindor and Nimmo over 30 years old. Guys like Jett Williams, Carson Benge, Jacob Reimer, and A.J. Ewing aren’t just players who could make an impact in 2026, they might be the future core of the next generation at Citi Field. Trading multiple names from that list sets the Mets back in the future. And if Skubal and the rest of the team don’t deliver a deep October run in 2026, and he leaves in free agency after, that’s a move Mets fans will be having nightmares about for the next decade.

Carson Benge could fill a future outfield need for the Mets 

I’m not here to say Skubal isn’t a good pitcher. He’s elite, one of the best in the game, and probably the best in the American League. The Tigers will have no shortage of offers if they aggressively shop him this winter. If he had multiple years of control on his contract, I’d be willing to roll the dice on him. But for one year? The cost to the Mets’ future is too great. Steve Cohen is far from a pauper. He’s proven time and time again that he’s willing to spend whatever it takes to get a World Series trophy in Queens. Skubal is a free agent this time next year. Uncle Steve can hand him a blank check, and all the Mets will lose is a second- and fifth-round draft pick in 2027. A much smaller price to pay than bringing him to New York in 2026.

This offseason, the Mets should fix the areas that cost them a playoff spot in 2025. Do it smartly and don’t blow up the future in an attempt to make headlines this winter. Tarik Skubal will be on the open market in less than a year from now. And if the Mets keep their farm system intact and younger players like McLean, Tong, and Sproat continue to improve this coming season—if their top prospects come up to Queens and live up to the hype—then Tarik Skubal is going to see what’s happening at Citi Field. Steve Cohen will be there, a fat check in hand, and ask Skubal: Why on earth wouldn’t you want to be a part of this?