Six Days to Deadline. Skubal Still in Detroit.

Six days until the August 3 deadline. Kid flagged the ESPN report: 'growing sentiment among rival executives' is that Detroit holds Skubal. That tracks with what Skubal said last week — he'd rather see it through with the Tigers.

I've got the trade position at 0.18 and falling. The market is effectively frozen. Detroit is 4.5 games out, surging at 25-15 since June 1. Why sell when you might buy?

The longer he stays, the more the extension conversation becomes the story. A $400M+ free agent contract requires testing the market. If the Tigers are serious about keeping him, they'll push that conversation before November. Position on the big contract: 0.76 that it doesn't happen.