Latest Tarik Skubal trade update is the last thing Royals fans will want to hear

The Kansas City Royals certainly have their own work cut out for them this offseason in order to fill out their roster in an attempt to return to the postseason in 2025.

And so far, they've been very productive in the first half off the winter months, checking off some much needed boxes on their to-do list already.

However, the reality of the matter is, the Royals finished third in the division last season, behind the back-to-back division winners in the Cleveland Guardians and the now perennial postseason regulars in the Detroit Tigers. If they want to reach AL Central supremacy, they could stand to get a bit of help from their rivals.

Entering the winter months, one of the top potential trade candidates was Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, as the thought was that perhaps Detroit would look to get a prime return for him before being set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.

However, as Buster Olney and Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported this week, perhaps the league should expect the Tigers to hold on to their back-to-back Cy Young Award winner, which in the Royals case, would certainly complicate their 2026 competitive plans.

Tarik Skubal staying in Detroit for 2026 is the last things Royals fans want to hear

"Detroit has set a very high price tag on the lefty, and the expectation within the organization is that Skubal will be in their camp at the outset of spring training," Olney wrote.

The fact that Detroit is holding Skubal close and reluctant to get rid of him shouldn't come as a shock. There is arguably nobody that could replace what he does on the mound and for a team that almost narrowly shot themselves in the foot down the stretch and only just snuck into the postseason as the final Wild Card team as a result of their struggles.

However, given how the two sides have failed to agree to an extension to this point, the reality could be setting in that the two could be set to part ways in less than a year's time and perhaps Detroit is looking to cash in now to avoid a generational arm leaving town for nothing.

While the Royals could be set to have Skubal out of the division by 2027, the thought of a premature exit would've been even better for their window of contention. So, if Olney is correct in his assessment, this could be very unwelcome news for Kansas City.

While not every year has seen Skubal dominate the Royals, sporting a 4.05 career ERA versus them, 2025 was a particularly strong year for him against them as he seemed to find his footing. In 19.0 innings across three starts versus Kansas City, the southpaw tossed to a miniscule 0.95 ERA.

Skubal is just one piece of the puzzle of the Royals' competition this season and their success is not made or broken because of him.

That being said, last season he made three starts against them, where you'd have to think Detroit had the upper hand when he took the mound in each of those contests. So, if there was a chance Kansas City could suddenly have more of a fighting chance for three or so games this upcoming season due to him leaving the division, it could have made a real difference in what could be a tightly contested division.