How Tarik Skubal's injury just completely revamped White Sox trade deadline plans

As the White Sox sat at 1-5 after a rough first week of the 2026 season, many fans were gearing up for more of the same. The White Sox starting rotation had a rough first go-around, and the team made many of the same mistakes that have plagued them over the years. But fortunes began to turn as the calendar grew later. The White Sox enter Tuesday’s contest against the Angels with a 17-18 record and are just a half game back in the AL Central. A major injury update to Tigers ace Tarik Skubal could give a confident White Sox team even more reason to believe, and could completely reverse the team’s strategy at the trade deadline

Obviously, losing Skubal for any length of time is a brutal blow for the Tigers, who have already underachieved their expectations to begin the season. With Detroit and Cleveland sitting in a tie atop the division, the extended absence of the Tigers ace could create an opportunity for the other teams in the division to step up. Whether it was expected or not, the White Sox find themselves right in the mix at the moment, and with the overwhelming majority of their divisional matchups still to play, they are by no means out of it. 

Tigers and Twins injury woes could thrust White Sox into AL Central mix

Tarik Skubal isn’t the only AL Central ace with a future in question. Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan exited Sunday’s outing in the first inning with elbow soreness. He went for an MRI and the Twins are still waiting for the results. While no official news has been announced, elbow injuries are rarely good, and the Twins have already lost Pablo Lopez for the season, so losing Joe Ryan would be yet another critical blow to an already-weakened staff.

Trade rumors have swirled around the White Sox despite their surprising start, with many believing that trading Munetaka Murakami is still the optimal plan. Even if the plan wasn’t to move Murakami, the White Sox have a few rental pieces that could be of interest to other teams. Players like Austin Hays, Erick Fedde, and Sean Newcomb are free agents at the end of the season and could have their spots taken by young players late in the season. But if the White Sox are within striking distance of the division, does that approach still make sense? 

I’m not suggesting the White Sox should go out and trade away prospects for rentals and sell out for a World Series in 2026, but if the team is within a couple games of a playoff spot in July and controllable players are available, the move could make some sense. Many have speculated that 2027 could be the first year the White Sox attempt to contend, but they may find themselves in that spot a year early with an overall weak American League. 

Even with these new developments, I’d still consider the White Sox odds of winning the AL Central as a longshot. They’re far from the most experienced or most complete roster in the division, and it’s likely that the law of averages will bring the standings back to expectations. But don’t tell the White Sox players that. 

The White Sox might not be a World Series-winning team in 2026, but there’s no question that they’re young and hungry. If they can continue playing at the level they’ve been playing over the past few weeks, there’s no telling where they’ll be in a couple months.

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