Tarik Skubal had barely finished saying he had no idea why his name keeps popping up in trade rumors when things exploded even more. Former Tigers and Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin jumped on X.com and publicly told the Yankees to trade for Skubal. His post instantly added fuel to one of the noisiest stories of the offseason.

Maybin wrote that players like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger might shake up the winter, but the real blockbuster would be the Yankees getting Skubal. He said the Tigers must not want to pay Skubal what he deserves or they would have done it already. He suggested the team is trying to convince itself that it is not smart to give him a big contract.

Then Maybin went even bigger. He imagined the Yankees trading for Skubal and also adding Sandy Alcantara. He pictured a rotation with Skubal, Alcantara, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon. He said that group would be a nightmare for any lineup. He also said this is the Yankees, so nobody should complain about payroll.

This is exactly the attention Skubal says he never wanted. Earlier in the day, he said he does not understand why he keeps getting dragged into these rumors. He is under team control through twenty twenty six and has said many times that he likes pitching in Detroit. His frustration shows the difference between how he views his future and how the rest of the league sees it.

But the truth is the industry sees things closer to what Maybin said. The Tigers and Skubal have not made progress on a long term extension. They seem far apart on how much he is worth. As long as that continues, other teams will keep calling. They see Skubal as the best ace who might be available, even though the Tigers say they are not shopping him.

The Yankees are one of the teams that badly need pitching. Gerrit Cole will miss the start of the season after Tommy John surgery. Clarke Schmidt is out for the year. Carlos Rodon is behind schedule after elbow surgery. Brian Cashman has already said the rotation needs help around Max Fried, Will Warren, Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil.

Nobody knows if the Yankees will actually land another Cy Young winner. But chances to get a pitcher like Skubal do not come around very often. Maybin’s comments match the reality of the moment. The Tigers need clarity. The Yankees need starters. And Skubal is stuck in the middle of the biggest question of the offseason: can teams outside the top payroll tier afford to keep an ace?