The New York Mets have long been in conversations about the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ free agent Tarik Skubal.
The 29-year-old southpaw would be a significant upgrade for New York’s starting rotation.
But money aside, do they have enough to offer him? We’re talking World Series contention.
Mets Approach Massive Skubal Decision
When Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report ranked Skubal’s potential landing spots, he placed the Mets at No. 1 — rightfully so.
“They were not afraid to hand record-setting AAV deals to Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in the early days of the Steve Cohen era, and there is no indication the front office will stop throwing money at the contention problem this winter,” he wrote.
“In terms of sheer spending power and roster need, there is no more obvious landing spot for Skubal on a record-setting, long-term deal.”
But as Reuter noted, Skubal will need to feel confident about New York’s ability to enter World Series contention.
In other words, the Mets will need to show him a clear plan — a path to the highly touted Fall Classic.
Adding Skubal to the mix would be an incredible boost for New York, but considering how many rumors are floating between both parties, the Mets landing him would be anything but a surprise.
Snapshot of Skubal’s MLB Career
The 2026 season marked Skubal’s seventh season playing Major League Baseball.
However, it was a year of change for him, as it was his first time playing for a team other than the Detroit Tigers.
Detroit selected him with the No. 255 overall pick in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB draft and made his debut with the organization in August 2020.
Once August 2026 rolled around, the Tigers shipped him out to Los Angeles for River Ryan, along with minor leaguers Zyhir Hope and Brady Smith.
During his latest regular season campaign, he registered a 2.72 ERA and 186 strikeouts across 158.2 innings pitched through 26 starts. He walked 27 batters.
His most productive season was in 2025, when he finished with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts across 195.1 innings through 31 games.
Skubal’s time with the Dodgers could be coming to an end after such a brief stint, but the Mets could use him more than any ballclub at this point.
New York Mets Face ‘Obvious’ Tarik Skubal Free Agency Decision