Trading for Tarik Skubal doesn't make sense for Mariners. Here's a move that does.

Tarik Skubal back to Seattle?

Stop it.

When we first presented the idea last fall, it made sense for the Mariners to explore a trade for the Detroit Tigers ace and former Seattle University star.

The Mariners had just fallen eight outs shy of the franchise's first World Series, and they were returning virtually everyone from a championship-caliber roster.

For a city still buzzing from a rare October surge, there was a compelling case to be made at the time that the Mariners front office needed to be bold, needed to do whatever it took to acquire that one missing piece.

After 50 years of (mostly) suffering, this fanbase deserved that - deserved a pitcher like Skubal who could nudge this roster over the top.

Seven months later, the general sentiment remains the same. As the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaches, Seattle's front office should do what it takes, within reason, to bolster this team's chances of a World Series, and recent history suggests club execs Jerry Dipoto and Justin Hollander will do exactly that.

The calculus around Skubal has shifted dramatically, though. It's simply too risky and too unrealistic for the Mariners now.

This weekend, the Mariners are in Detroit for their first meeting with the Tigers since Jorge Polanco's series-clinching walkoff single in the 15th inning of Game 5 of the division series last October.

Skubal was brilliant in two starts in that series, but the Mariners will avoid him this weekend as the two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner recovers from a minimally invasive procedure on his pitching elbow last month.

There's optimism in Detroit that Skubal could return as soon as next week, and none too soon for a Tigers team that, at 6-22, had the worst record in the majors in May.

Even if Skubal returns to form, and even if the Tigers explore trade possibilities for him this summer, the Mariners can't (and won't) get involved.

The price will be too high. The needs too obvious elsewhere.

The Tigers would ask for an established starter such as Bryce Miller. The Mariners can't (and won't) do that.

Or the Tigers would want a top pitching prospect such as Kade Anderson or Ryan Sloan. The Mariners can't (and won't) do that either.

Skubal, if healthy, would make any team better. But any team acquiring him would have him for only a few months before he reaches free agency this winter, and the Mariners can't jeopardize their future for one big swing at a World Series.

With a talented core locked in and a high-end farm system churning out more productive big-leaguers, the Mariners should be able to contend for the next five years - and, perhaps, beyond. They've put themselves in the position with reasonable and surgical trades; they shouldn't suddenly bust out a sledgehammer in the middle of a delicate operation.

Industry sources say there the Mariners have given no indication they are willing to move any of their top five starting pitchers this summer. They've employed a hybrid six-man rotation the past few weeks, and will move forward with that plan for the next few weeks. Come July, though, Luis Castillo's name figures to resurface in trade chatter.

The Mariners figure to be as active as anyone leading up to the trade deadline, and if they are going to make a meaningful move, they ought to turn to Minnesota to inquire about Byron Buxton.

The Twins could be one of the few sellers this summer, and Buxton could be the best bat available on the market. He would fill the Mariners' need for another right-handed slugger, and he could potentially split time between right field and designated hitter.

Buxton, 32, has 18 homers and 1.9 bWAR in his first 54 games this season, with an .871 OPS and a 138 OPS+ (100 is average). He was an All-Star in 2025, hitting 35 homers with a 136 OPS+, and he has two years remaining on his contract worth $15 million annually through 2028.

Buxton has a no-trade clause, and the acquisition cost could be uncomfortable (but less so than Skubal), so there are complicating factors.

But Buxton is the type of player who would be a worth a sizable swing for a Mariners club that will, undoubtedly, look to make a splash at the deadline.

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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 4:56 PM.