Dodgers' Mock Trade Would Land Tarik Skubal for Haul of Prospects

Could the Dodgers pull it off?

Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Tarik Skubal has won back-to-back American League Cy Young awards and remains one of the top pitchers in Major League Baseball. Unfortunately for the Detroit Tigers, he is recovering from a surgery to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow.

However, that does not mean he won't be a top trade chip at the deadline, which is now just over two /months away. A lot of teams will be interested in him, and you can bet that one of those teams will be the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic put together a mock trade idea that would send Skubal to the Dodgers.

"The Dodgers have a deep farm system, which would make it easier for them to offer the Tigers a premium prospect package without decimating their minor-league depth," Bowden writes. "The Dodgers are especially deep in outfield prospects, and the Tigers could insist on one of their top ones among the group of Zyhir Hope, Josue De Paula, Eduardo Quintero, James Tibbs III and Mike Sirota, and then combine that with one of their major-league starting pitchers in Emmet Sheehan or Justin Wrobleski."

Dodgers may be in best position to trade for Skubal

Apr 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) talks to catcher Dillon Dingler (13) against the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Tigers would have a lot of top prospects to choose from if they decide to trade Skubal to the Dodgers, especially on the outfield side and in terms of pitching depth. They will only trade Skubal if they get the best possible offer, but of course, his value may be down just a little due to his injury.

The Dodgers have the deepest farm system, so they would seem to be the ones in the best position to make a trade for Skubal, especially given that they have won back-to-back World Series titles. Their starting rotation has taken some hits, with Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell both out recovering from injuries.

Pairing him with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto would put them in a great position to win yet another World Series title and become the first team since the New York Yankees to three-peat.

The Dodgers are still hungry for more, and acquiring an arm like Skubal at the deadline would prove that they are not satisfied with just two World Series titles in a row. Beating them is already a tall task, but it would be even harder if Skubal is added to their mix.