Dodgers Trade Proposal Sends AL Cy Young Contender to L.A. In 5-Player Swap

Getty The Dodgers need to find more rotation depth before the trade deadline. Could Tigers ace Tarik Skubal be a realistic target?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be one of MLB’s most active teams ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. Their starting rotation has been ravaged by injuries in recent weeks. Could that lead Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to make a play for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal?

The Athletic’s Jim Bowden said on June 26 that Detroit might make Skubal available in trade talks. If they do, he thinks the Dodgers could have a real chance at acquiring him. Here’s a five-player trade proposal that gives some context as to just how valuable the southpaw has been in 2024:

• Dodgers receive: left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal
• Tigers receive: catcher Dalton Rushing, outfielder Josue De Paula, right-handed pitcher River Ryan and left-handed pitcher Jackson Ferris

According to Baseball Trade Values, Skubal’s current value is 95.70 and this hypothetical package holds a value of 80.40. Rushing (first), De Paula (second), Ryan (fourth) and Ferris (sixth) are all top-10 prospects for Los Angeles, per MLB.com.

This might be a steep price, but Skubal has been one of MLB’s best pitchers this year. He’s 10-3 with a 2.37 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 132 strikeouts in 110 innings pitched. This performance has put him in the thick of the American League Cy Young Award race.

Skubal Would Help a Depleted Dodgers Rotation

Although the Dodgers spent over $1 billion this past winter, they still need to make several moves to fortify the roster for a deep postseason run. That’s especially the case with the current state of L.A.’s starting rotation.

According to FanGraphs’ Roster Resource, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Clayton Kershaw began 2024 on the injured list. Walker Buehler and Yoshinobu Yamamoto joined them on the sideline in the middle of June. Most recently, National League Cy Young Award contender Tyler Glasnow hit the IL with lower back tightness.

So, Los Angeles’ starting rotation now includes James Paxton, Gavin Stone, Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski. This group contains three rookies (Stone, Knack and Wrobleski). That’s OK for a short period. But with return timelines murky at best for several injured hurlers, the Dodgers need extra depth on the pitching staff.

Skubal would help in a big way for 2024 and beyond. He’s making $2.65 million this season and is under team control through 2026, per Spotrac.

What Could L.A.’s Preferred Trade Deadline Plan Be?

While adding rotation depth is a priority for the Dodgers, it’s not the only one. Bowden discussed what Los Angeles could be looking to acquire ahead of the deadline on June 21. “So it is tricky, but I know I know the Dodgers and I know Andrew Friedman,” he said. “And everyone just take a deep breath because he’s gonna get a starter, a reliever, and an outfielder by July 30. Book it. Put it in cement.”

With that in mind, what might be their preferred plan to execute this month? They’ve been linked to outfielder Luis Robert Jr. and left-handed pitcher Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox. A potential trade for both of those players could be much larger. However, Friedman might prefer to focus on improving two areas with one trade instead of dividing his attention on multiple fronts.

Of course, the White Sox might decide to hold onto Robert or deal him and Crochet in separate trades. If L.A. can’t land Crochet, Skubal is an attractive option as another elite left-handed hurler with multiple years of team control.