The Baltimore Orioles could be on the verge of a trade that would make them World Series favorites.
Baltimore entered Sunday with a two-game lead in the American League East and the second-best record in Major League Baseball. The Orioles have their sights set on October, and general manager Mike Elias is intent on adding a superstar ace before the trade deadline to pair with Corbin Burnes in what would become a deadly playoff rotation.
With so many teams holding, the market for starting pitching is minimal, but Baltimore has somehow snuck its way into trade discussions for an American League ace who was as recently as last week considered forbidden fruit and completely removed from the trade market.
USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the Orioles are speaking with the Detroit Tigers about their superstar starter Tarik Skubal.
Nightengale asserted that although it will take a hefty offer to pry Skubal away from Detroit, the Tigers have not ruled out the possibility of trading him.
"It’s a longshot that Skubal will be traded, but the Tigers are listening, and have told teams they will move him only if they are overwhelmed by an offer," Nightengale said.
"Certainly, the Orioles have the talented prospects to pull off a deal, centering around Jackson Holliday, and may become the World Series favorites if they acquire Skubal to team with Corbin Burnes at the top of the rotation."
Landing Skubal would be a franchise-defining moment for Baltimore, and such a trade would indeed alter the power structure of MLB. The question is, will Elias be willing to pay the exorbitant price?
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