The American League Central is seemingly wide-open next season. The Cleveland Guardians struggled offensively last season, but still managed to win the division. The Kansas City Royals finished 2025 with a record above .500 and have a lot of young talent. The Twins have a lot they need to improve on, but the talent is there. The Chicago White Sox are likely the only team we can safely assume won't win the division, but with their Murakami signing and young talent, we never know.
The Detroit Tigers, who lost the 2025 ALDS against the Seattle Mariners in five games after defeating the Guardians in the Wild Card round, are likely the favorites to win the division next season. However, ESPN's Jesse Rogers predicts the Tigers will trade back-to-back American League Cy Young-award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in July, suggesting that a team other than Detroit (hopefully Minnesota) will be leading the AL Central at the 2026 Trade Deadline.
Twins fans will be ecstatic if Tigers trade Tarik Skubal to Dodgers at 2026 Trade Deadline
Skubal, a lefty, has established himself as the best starting pitcher in the American League over the past two seasons. In 2024, he posted 6.4 bWAR and a 2.39 ERA with 228 strikeouts and 35 walks across 192 innings. This past season, he posted 6.5 bWAR and a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts and 33 walks across 195 1/3 innings. He is clearly the best left-handed starter in the game, and may be the best pitcher in the whole league besides Pirates righty Paul Skenes.
The Tigers are in a tough spot with Skubal. It appears they won't extend him, and with him only being under team control through next season, trade rumors surrounding the lefty have been rampant all offseason.
However, since Detroit likely has the best odds of winning the division this year, trading Skubal would be a massive mistake if the team wants to make a World Series run. But if it appears the Tigers won't be making the playoffs once July arrives, Skubal will most likely be traded, and the Dodgers are a likely landing spot, as they're always looking to improve as much as they can.