The Tigers probably won’t trade Tarik Skubal. But could they be tempted to consider it?
DETROIT — When longtime baseball executive Jim Bowden surveyed some of his former colleagues about the biggest names likely to be traded at the end of July, one name surprised him.
Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal is not on an expiring contract. He’s not making a lot of money. He’s under team control through 2026. He has a chance to win a Cy Young Award. And he doesn’t play for a team going through a full-scale rebuilding process.
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Tigers issue official statement amid concerning allegations on broadcaster
The Tigers and Bally Sports Detroit issue statement after Craig Monroe was accused of
Detroit Tigers broadcaster Craig Monroe, who has been off the air since June 9, was recently accused of sexually assaulting a woman when she was a minor, per Brandon Contes of Awful Announcing.
Writes Contes, “On June 11, the Instagram account @carbarbie941 accused Monroe of sex crimes, which allegedly began when he was a minor league baseball player. The accusations, which were later shared on X, include rape and child molestation. The woman also additionally accused Monroe of turning her into a prostitute.”
After the troubling news broke, the Tigers and Bally Sports issued a joint statement, saying, “Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers are aware of the social media allegations and take them seriously. As previously stated, Mr. Monroe has not been on the broadcast schedule and that will continue on an indefinite basis. We will have no further comment and any questions should be directed to Mr. Monroe.”
After a nine-year playing career that saw him play for the Tigers, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, and Pittsburgh Pirates, Craig Monroe became a Tigers broadcaster in 2012. The former outfielder had been the lead TV analyst for the Tigers on Bally Sports Detroit this season.
After being absent from his broadcasting duties since June 9, Bally Sports Detroit and the Tigers said the Monroe was dealing with a personal matter and that any further inquiries should be directed to Monroe himself.
Tigers approaching the trade deadline as troubling Craig Monroe news emerges
After a hot start this season, the Tigers have faded back into familiar territory near the bottom of the American League Central. Detroit was 18-13 on May 1, and its mark of five games above .500 was its best since the final day of the 2016 season. The team then won just five of 19 games over the next three weeks and has not carried a winning record since.
