Seattle Mariners Eye Bringing Ace “Home”

SEATTLE, Washington — The Seattle Mariners are preparing to make an aggressive push to acquire Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. And while Skubal isn’t a Seattle native, this potential move hits close to home because Seattle is the city that believed in him first.

Before he became one of Major League Baseball’s most dominant pitchers, Tarik Skubal was an overlooked prospect from Kingman, Arizona. Only one NCAA Division I school offered him a scholarship — Seattle University.

He accepted and became a standout left-hander for the Seattle Redhawks, developing his velocity, refining his mechanics, and putting himself on the radar of MLB scouts. For Skubal, Seattle wasn’t just a stop along the way, it was where his career truly began.

Now, the Mariners want to bring him back to the city that gave him his shot.

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A Cy Young Season — and a Blockbuster in the Making

Skubal is expected to win his second AL Cy Young Award after a dominant 2025 season:

• 2.39 ERA

• 248 strikeouts

• 191 innings pitched

At just 28 years old and under team control for several more seasons, he’s one of the most valuable arms in baseball and Seattle plans to “aggressively target” him in trade talks this offseason.

Even with a rotation featuring Luis Castillo, George Kirby, and Logan Gilbert, the Mariners are focusing on pitching upgrades due to their continued offensive struggles. According to the report, the front office could even move a high-salary player like Castillo to free up payroll and prospects to land Skubal.

The Mariners aren’t alone. Olney reports that both the New York Mets and Boston Red Sox are also closely monitoring Skubal’s availability.

However, neither franchise can offer what Seattle can: a return to the city where Skubal’s baseball dreams became real.

The Tigers will “seriously consider” trading Skubal if they receive a massive return. That likely means:

• Multiple top prospects

• MLB-ready young players

• Long-term control and financial flexibility

Detroit doesn’t want to trade their ace, but they know his value may never be higher.

Tarik Skubal isn’t from Seattle, but this is where he became Tarik Skubal. The city was the only one to bet on him when no one else would. Now the Mariners are trying to return the favor by bringing him back, not as a prospect this time, but as a Cy Young winner ready to help deliver the franchise its first World Series.