Tigers president says Tarik Skubal isn't 'untouchable' for offers - ESPN

Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, even after winning the Cy Young Award in back-to-back seasons, is not «untouchable» when it comes to trade offers, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Monday.

«I don't believe in untouchable players at any level,» Harris told MLB Network on Monday at the winter meetings in Orlando, Florida. «It's not a commentary on Tarik; it's more of a blanket approach to building a winning organization. My job is to make this organization better… which means that I need to listen to every opportunity, no matter how likely or unlikely it is to actually happen. I've got to listen because we've got to get better as an organization, so that's our approach.

»We don't have everything figured out, but it's led to a ton of success in a very short period of time. And I can stand here and credibly say that we have both a bright present and a bright future, and this approach has led to that."

Skubal has one season remaining until he reaches free agency. If the Tigers can't sign the left-hander to an extension — his agent is Scott Boras, and Boras clients rarely sign extensions this close to free agency — the Tigers could very well entertain trade possibilities.

«I can't, and I won't, speculate on trades for our own players,» Harris told MLB Network. «Like, it's just not fair to the players. It's not fair to the other teams. And the second thing is, there are 25 other guys in our locker room — 25 guys that are busting their butts to play on the field, and it takes all of us to actually get to the postseason. It's not a commentary on Tarik. It's the organizational ethos we have. It's going to take all of us, it's going to take every little thing, to get to the postseason.

»Listen, Tarik's a Tiger