The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again one of Major League Baseball’s best teams in 2026. At 34-20, they own the second-best record in the National League, and of course, they have won back-to-back World Series titles, so counting them out wouldn’t be wise, even with the Atlanta Braves holding the NL’s best record.
The trade deadline is still several months away, so it may be too early to pick where players are going to go, but as the Detroit Tigers continue to struggle, the likelihood of a Tarik Skubal trade seems to be increasing.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes that the Dodgers are expected to be in the running if Skubal is made available.
“Now that it’s becoming inevitable that the free-falling Detroit Tigers may have no choice but to trade two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal at the deadline, rival executives believe the bidding will come down to four finalists that not only can afford the remainder of his $32 million contract, but will also be willing to give up prized prospects,” Nightengale wrote.
“The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and San Diego Padres.”
Dodgers Likely to Enter Tarik Skubal Sweepstakes
The Dodgers make sense as a landing spot for Skubal. They are never afraid to make the big moves and put themselves in position to win the World Series, which is exactly what trading for Skubal would allow them to do.
This is a team that has won back-to-back titles and has shown no signs of taking their foot off of the gas pedal. There is obviously no reason for them to, given their recent track record of success.
They already have a very powerful starting rotation, and Shohei Ohtani is making a case to win not just his fifth MVP award, but his first Cy Young. But to have another Cy Young winner like Skubal in the mix would give them a big edge in not only the NL West, but in the National League as a whole.
Stopping them is already hard enough, but bringing Skubal into the mix would make that task that much harder, even for teams like the Braves, San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers.
It will be interesting to see if the Dodgers actually are able to pull off a deal for Skubal and land arguably the best starting pitcher on the market, assuming the Tigers decide to trade him away.
What Will It Take?
The two-time reigning World Series champions already have one of the best rosters in baseball and enormous financial flexibility. However, they also have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball as well.
Outfielders Josue De Paula and Zyhir Hope are their top two prospects according to MiLB.com, respectively. It might take both prospects to get a deal done, even with Skubal’s recent elbow surgery. The injury shouldn’t hurt his value too much, especially with the way he has been pitching when healthy this season.
But the Dodgers have the necessary prospects to get it done.
Dodgers Named Fit For Tarik Skubal Amid Rumors of Bidding War