SKUBAL WARNS TIGERS OF ROSTER OVERHAUL IF FORM DOES NOT IMPROVE

Tarik Skubal has stated that the Detroit Tigers face the prospect of significant roster changes if their on-field performance does not improve before the MLB trade deadline on 3 August. The left-hander, a back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner, told The Detroit News that the franchise's front office would reassess the team's composition if current results do not suggest playoff or World Series contention. Skubal said: "The reality is we need to play better baseball or else, come the deadline, you give the front office an option to reassess where this team is."

Through 74 games, the Tigers hold a record of 30 wins and 44 losses, placing them in last position in the AL Central division. According to reported figures, they trail the division-leading Chicago White Sox by 9.5 games and sit 6.5 games outside an AL wild card spot. The Tigers have experienced five losing streaks of at least four games during the season, including a stretch in May in which they won only three of 19 contests. Skubal, aged 29, has made eight starts this season following a five-week absence caused by left elbow surgery.

Skubal's own future with the franchise remains uncertain, with his name identified as a leading candidate for potential trade. He won his arbitration hearing in February and is set to become an unrestricted free agent next winter, with reported projections suggesting his next contract could command at least $400 million. Skubal stated in March that the Tigers made no long-term offer during the offseason and that he intended to focus on baseball performance until the season concludes.