Tarik Skubal is going to be the top starting pitcher available in free agency this winter. He has won back-to-back American League Cy Young awards and will be highly sought after, which should make for a very interesting several weeks leading up to the likely implementation of a lockout.
The Los Angeles Dodgers should be in the mix to retain his services for 2027 and beyond, but they are going to have competition from other big market teams. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand listed several teams that could be in the mix for him, including the New York Mets.
Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report predicts that the Mets will ultimately be the ones to win the sweepstakes.
“If Los Angeles can do enough to prove to Skubal that this year was an anomaly and that the team is not the aging unit it looked like at times in the playoffs, one would have to figure they would be the front runner,” Beaston writes.
“The Mets, though, are a young team with pieces in Carson Benge, AJ Ewing, and Nolan McLean that have them set up nicely for the future. Add in future Hall of Famers Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor and you have a team that, with the right coaching, is a World Series contender.
“Even more so with Skubal in the rotation.”
New York Mets Predicted to Win Tarik Skubal Sweepstakes
Beaston goes on to say that the Dodgers window may be closing, while the Mets window may be opening. Despite having a down season, New York still does have a lot of solid young pieces in place, which sets them up well for the future.
With Skubal in the rotation, New York could have a good chance to bounce back into postseason contention after a rough 2026 season. They will have other areas of the roster that need to be focused on as well, but signing Skubal would be a good first step. They’re going to have to start somewhere, so adding the best starting pitcher in all of Major League Baseball might at least get them back on the map for contention.
Skubal made 26 starts in 2026, going 12-7 with a 2.72 ERA and striking out 186 batters over 158 2/3 innings of work during the regular season and pitched well for the Dodgers in the playoffs, so if the Mets do sign him, they’ll know exactly what they’re going to get, which is a very consistent top of the rotation starting pitcher.
The Downside of Signing Tarik Skubal
One thing the Mets would have to worry about is his injury history. He missed several starts earlier this year with the Detroit Tigers after undergoing surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow.
He made it back very quickly, but he has historically been a pitcher who has dealt with a lot of arm troubles, and that could be a potential downside of having to commit a high amount of money to him for a long-term contract.
He would make them a better team, but the Mets have had plenty of contracts go south for them in recent years.
Tarik Skubal Predicted to Join NL East Team Amid Free Agency Frenzy