In the final days leading up to the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers landed the biggest fish in the pond, acquiring back-to-back American League Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
To some around the industry, the package going back to Detroit was light. The Dodgers had, and still do have some elite pitching prospects in their farm system. They simply didn’t have to give up as big of a haul as they were expected to.
However, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Tigers ultimately were the ones that gave the return package the green light, and he explained why in his latest column.
“Rather than making pitching a requirement in any deal, the Tigers prioritized pursuing the greatest overall value,” Rosenthal said. “If the Brewers offered infielders Jesús Made and Luis Peña, Law’s No. 2 and 22 top prospects, respectively, then sure, the Tigers would have done it. The Brewers would have been foolish to part with both for a rental, even one as good as Skubal. But they were serious in their proposals.
“Skubal technically was correct when he said, ‘every team could trade for me.’ Unlike in free agency, the best proposal of talent determined the outcome, not the highest monetary bid. That said, several executives said the Dodgers’ vast financial resources made a difference in which players they could offer, ultimately giving them an advantage.”
Detroit Tigers Prioritized More Than Just Pitching in Tarik Skubal Deal
While it might have made sense for Detroit to solely target pitching with Skubal being moved, they ended up getting exactly what they thought they needed. Outfield prospect Zyhir Hope was included in the Dodgers’ package for Skubal, along with pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith.
In truth, the Tigers wanted the best value for their two-time Cy Young award winner, and that is ultimately what they got. While the return may seem a little light, it still is quite good considering that Skubal is a rental piece.
It’s also important to remember that when he does become a free agent, the Dodgers are the team that is best-equipped to re-sign him. But it isn’t as if Detroit got a bad return for their ace.
They knew he wasn’t going to re-sign after the 2026 season, so trading him now makes sense, and they also managed to recoup some value for him as well before pulling the trigger on the deal.
Los Angeles Dodgers Had Best Offer for Tarik Skubal
At the end of the day, the Dodgers were always going to be in the best position to land Skubal given what they have in their farm system, but it isn’t as if the Tigers skimmed over a lot of details.
They made sure to maximize what they were going to get for their rental ace, and in the end, they were able to do just that.
It will be interesting to see how some of these pieces pan out for Detroit and how Skubal ultimately pans out for the Dodgers in the coming years.
Insider Reveals Why Tigers Accepted Tarik Skubal Package from Dodgers