The Los Angeles Dodgers, who won consecutive World Series titles and are trying for a third, acquired ace pitcher Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers in early August in return for a trio of prospects.
Right now, the Dodgers and Skubal are in a perilous position, as they trail the National League Championship Series, two games to none to the Milwaukee Brewers with Game 3 on deck for Wednesday evening.
But regardless of how this series turns out, Skubal will be a free agent in the offseason and could potentially be in line for a contract worth upwards of $400 million. Are the Dodgers going to do what’s necessary to keep him, or will another team swoop in and grab him off the open market?
Los Angeles Dodgers Pitcher Tarik Skubal Could Land With The Mets, Per New Reports
According to a new report from SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes, the New York Mets are expected to match whatever offer that Skubal receives on the open market.
Meanwhile, this would correlate with what Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer recently wrote, considering that the Dodgers and New York Yankees already have established starting rotations, something the Mets are looking to strengthen.
“At that rate, the Skubal sweepstakes could come down to which of the Mets, Dodgers, or Yankees would be most willing to take the risk. And of those three clubs, the Mets may have the clearest need for a No. 1 starter this winter,” Rymer wrote.
“Whether (Mets owner) David Stearns would want to shell out so much money for Skubal is a fair question, but what he wants might not matter if Steve Cohen decides to step in,” Rymer added. “He notably did so to land Juan Soto on a 15-year, $765 million deal.”
Tarik Skubal Was Acquired From The Tigers In August
Skubal, who is the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner in consecutive seasons, recently explained that he welcomes the pressure that comes with being a Dodgers pitcher.
“The pressure surrounding the Dodgers is a privilege. As an athlete, this is what you want to be and you want to have an expectation to win,” Skubal said to Dodgers Nation’s Noel Sanchez and media.
“I have those same expectations as a player and in my shoes, I think just keeping the game the game, going out there and competing and doing what I can to put my team in a position to win is important.”
Tarik Skubal Could Stay In National League, But Not With Dodgers