Dodgers Predicted to Land Tarik Skubal With Record-Breaking Contract

Over the last few offseasons, it almost seems inevitable that the Los Angeles Dodgers will end up signing the best free agent on the open market. This past offseason, Los Angeles landed both Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, adding more fuel to the fire around the salary cap debate in baseball.

After the current season ends, the CBA is set to expire, and the owners will likely be pushing to implement one. This could cause the 2027 season to be delayed, which would be terrible for the sport as a whole.

But the free agent class next offseason is headlined by a superstar player, and the Dodgers may go shopping once again. Los Angeles has wanted to improve the roster every year, and that's why the team has been able to find success on a consistent basis.

Now, Jack Harris and Dylan Hernandez of The California Post are predicting that the Dodgers will land ace Tarik Skubal this coming offseason. Skubal is expected to receive a record contract in free agency, and Los Angeles is one of the few teams that may be willing to pay him what it takes.

Skubal just underwent a procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow, and he is expected to be out for a few months. There had been talk that the Detroit Tigers could look to trade him at the trade deadline, but with the injury, it seems more unlikely.

Harris and Hernandez believe the procedure only helps the Dodgers' chances.

"Ironically, the procedure could actually increase his chances of pitching for the Dodgers," they wrote. "If Skubal doesn’t look like his usual self upon his return, teams might be reluctant to offer him the monster deal he was expected to sign before his injury. The Dodgers could have an opportunity to sign Skubal to a short-term deal with a record-breaking average annual value."

Should the Dodgers Pay Tarik Skubal?

Many experts believe that Skubal will be looking for a contract approaching $400 million after he has dominated over the last two years.

Only two pitchers in history have received a contract over $300 million: Gerrit Cole and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. So if Skubal were to land this type of money, he would enter the rare air of free agents.

Many teams can't afford to spend this on a pitcher, given how fickle pitchers can be from year to year. However, a team like the Dodgers could be willing to give Skubal this type of deal, and the roster has enough star power to offset any injury concerns.

Skubal, who turns 30 in November, also isn't a regular pitcher, as he is currently the back-to-back Cy Young award winner in the American League. Skubal has put up an ERA of under 3.00 in each of the last three seasons for Detroit, and the left-hander seems to be on his way to another strong year, even with the injury.

Over seven starts this season, Skubal has posted an ERA of 2.70 for the Tigers. Even with a few poor starts, the left-hander has continued to perform well on the mound.

Last year, Skubal made 31 starts, sporting a 2.21 ERA with 241 strikeouts over 195.1 innings. In 2024, he made another 31 starts, finishing with a 2.39 ERA and 228 strikeouts over 192 innings.

If the Dodgers can bring Skubal to town, adding him to a rotation of Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and others would almost be unfair. But Los Angeles wants to keep pushing the envelope in terms of what people think is possible, and winning World Series titles is the only goal for this franchise.

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