MLB insider’s Tarik Skubal trade idea gives the Dodgers leverage over the NY Mets

The New York Mets are going to need David Stearns to break out from one of his key habits and land a big-time ace this offseason. In that regard, there's no better option than swinging a deal for the Detroit Tigers' star southpaw, Tarik Skubal.

Coming off his second AL Cy Young in as many years, it will take a lot to land Skubal, even if the superstar is in his walk year. With that in mind, a trade package will be hard to put together. Not only is it going to be difficult to put something together that gets Detroit as close to equal value as possible while placating both sides, but the Tigers' status as a contender means the typical prospect treasure chest type of deal is likely a non-starter.

The Mets have stood out as a team that can nearly bridge this gap. Their collection of young arms, like Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, would give Detroit future value without completely erasing the possibility of making a positive impact in 2026. But if the Tigers truly want something back that can truly help them in 2026, then a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers looks to be unbeatable.

The Mets can't compete with the Dodgers in a Tarik Skubal trade if Tyler Glasnow is on the table

MLB insider Jim Bowden broke down the top Skubal trade contenders on Foul Territory recently, and his creative trade idea that would land Skubal in LA would be impossible to match. Bowden suggests that the Dodgers could deal from their major league rotation, offering up Tyler Glasnow as part of a package to send Skubal out West.

The logic is simple: Detroit will need an ace in order to compete, and while either Tong or Sproat could get there one day, the likelihood of that happening in 2026 is slim. Meanwhile, Glasnow is already a bona fide top-of-the-rotation arm.

The Mets have no one of that caliber whom they can deal from their big league roster, much less a player who could serve as a direct one-to-one replacement for Skubal.

As good as Glasnow is, there's still a significant gap between what he brings to the table and the dominant force that Skubal is, so this would need to be a Glasnow plus a couple of top prospects type of offer, but it would be the most compelling proposal that Detroit could receive.

Even that isn't a slam dunk, though. The oft-injured Glasnow has never topped more than 134 innings in a single season. While he doesn't hit free agency until 2027, or 2028 if his club option is picked up, he'll make $32.5 million a year, which is no bargain.

Still, contender-to-contender deals are so hard to consummate because both sides are looking for big league stars, and if Glasnow is truly an option to be dealt, no amount of prospects, potential, or team control will be enough to overcome the value proposition that he brings to a club with World Series aspirations.

Who knows if the Dodgers would actually consider this, but if they do, it would be a guarantee that Stearns would have to shift his focus elsewhere in order to find his ace.