The Los Angeles Dodgers’ season is over, and so too is their quest to become the first team to three-peat since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000. Now, they’ll turn their attention to the offseason, where they have some decisions to make.
The team acquired Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline to help get them to the World Series, and while they could certainly still be in the mix to re-sign him, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be an easy task. He’ll be highly sought after and will likely command a long-term contract.
The Dodgers can pull that off, but Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report believes that the Los Angeles Angels could be a threat to land him in the sweepstakes.
“The Angels may have lost 100 games for the first time in their history this year, but it wasn’t because of their starting pitching. Their starters ranked in the top half of the league for ERA and rWAR,” Rymer wrote.
“Even if José Soriano is gone, Reid Detmers and Walbert Ureña are still around. If they find themselves pitching behind Skubal with top prospect Tyler Bremner waiting in the wings, suddenly the future doesn’t look so bad.
“It is nonetheless interesting that Skubal himself expects Kroenke to turn the Angels into a coveted destination for free agents. Provided Skubal is willing to wait until the sale of the franchise is final, perhaps he’ll be willing to put… er, accept money where his mouth is.”
Los Angeles Dodgers Could Face Threat from Rivals for Tarik Skubal
The Dodgers are probably in the best position financially to keep Skubal around for several more years, but that doesn’t mean they won’t face competition. With Stan Kroenke set to buy the Angels from Arte Moreno, perhaps the Halos will start spending more money and become a prime destination for free agents.
The Angels did lose 100 games, so it would seem obvious that staying with the Dodgers would be Skubal’s best bet. Despite their NLCS loss, they are still a very strong team with World Series aspirations that is not going away anytime soon. The Dodgers will still be a threat to win the World Series in 2027 and cannot be counted out.
In Rymer’s piece, the Dodgers are listed as the second most likely team to sign Skubal this offseason, so there is reason to believe his time in Los Angeles isn’t over just yet.
Are Los Angeles Angels on the Rise?
The question with Kroenke taking over as the team’s owner is whether or not the Angels will actually spend big. They have to start somewhere, and signing Skubal would be a good start as they hope to build a contender in the next few years.
The Dodgers’ recent track record is hard to top, but the Angels now have a better chance to become a solid destination for free agents, so it will be interesting to see if they can outbid their crosstown rivals in the sweepstakes for Skubal or if Skubal will choose to stay with the Dodgers.
Dodgers’ Crosstown Rivals Named Potential Threat in Tarik Skubal Sweepstakes