Dodgers Continue to be Predicted to Land Tarik Skubal in Blockbuster Trade

The Los Angeles Dodgers are being viewed as one of the favorites to land ace Tarik Skubal in a massive deal ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.

With the Detroit Tigers' season not going as planned, the likelihood of a Skubal trade has increased — and the Dodgers are at the forefront. While the Dodgers don't need another starting pitcher, the two teams do match up well to make a trade, and Skubal is a true game-changer.

Skubal will be a free agent following the conclusion of the 2026 season, so any team trading for him understands he could be a rental. But the Dodgers are one of the few organizations around baseball that could be open to giving him the rumored $300 million-plus contract he desires in free agency.

This could have multiple teams wary of going after Skubal, leaving the path more open for the Dodgers to trade for him. And MLB writer Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report is predicting that Skubal will indeed land with Los Angeles at the trade deadline.

"The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees both come to mind, as do the Atlanta Braves. But the Yankees reportedly didn't have the right chips to make a deal during the offseason, and Atlanta's farm system isn't especially strong either," he wrote.

What Kind of Trade Makes Sense For Dodgers to Land Tarik Skubal?

The big question around any Skubal to the Dodgers trade is how much the team should be willing to part with for him. Since Skubal could be just a rental, the Dodgers may not want to part with multiple top prospects in a deal.

The Dodgers could likely deal with moving one top prospect for Skubal, while also sending out an MLB-ready arm for the Tigers. So if Detroit were open to a trade of a starter between Emmet Sheehan or Justin Wrobleski, plus a prospect or two, the Dodgers may bite.

Adding Skubal to the already stacked starting rotation would almost be unfair for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is going after a three-peat this season, and Skubal would get a sense of what life could be like long-term with the Dodgers.

Trading for him now would give the Dodgers a chance to get a leg up in his free agency, even with other teams bidding. And with the impending lockout coming after 2026, we could see this be the last major move the Dodgers make under the current CBA.

Los Angeles likes to refrain from paying premium prices at the trade deadline, but Skubal could change that. Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball when healthy, and having a chance to add him would change everything.

Tarik Skubal Injury Questions

Skubal had surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow and is currently rehabbing his way back to the mound.

He recently made a dominant rehab start, and could be back in the next couple weeks.

Even with him missing time this season, Skubal has remained one of the best pitchers in the game today. So far, the left-hander has posted an ERA of 2.70 over seven starts, punching out 45 batters over 43.1 innings.

Overall, if the Dodgers have an opportunity to bring Skubal into the mix, even as a rental, the front office should pull the trigger. It's not often that a team has a chance to three-peat, and bringing in the ace could help push this group over the top.

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