The Winter Meetings passed without a single blockbuster involving a frontline starter, but that silence hasn’t cooled the Skubal market. If anything, it has clarified it. Detroit is listening. Contenders are circling. And Los Angeles has both the motivation and the ammunition to strike.
MLB.com Puts Skubal at the Top of the Trade Board
MLB.com laid out the Skubal dilemma in blunt terms. The Tigers control him through 2026 via arbitration, but extension talks remain stalled. That leaves Detroit staring at a familiar fork in the road: trade the best pitcher in the sport now for a historic return, or risk losing him a year from now for nothing more than draft-pick compensation if he rejects a qualifying offer.
From a pure baseball standpoint, Skubal checks every box a contender could want. Over the past two seasons, he has averaged 193 innings, 234 strikeouts, a 2.30 ERA, and a 0.91 WHIP. Statcast crowned him MLB’s most valuable pitcher by run value last season, and his changeup graded as the single most valuable pitch in the sport. Any team that acquires him isn’t just upgrading its rotation—it’s making a statement about winning the 2026 World Series at all costs.
The downside, MLB.com notes, is obvious. Skubal is represented by Scott Boras, and Boras clients rarely skip free agency. Any trade partner must be comfortable paying a massive prospect price for what could amount to one year and one postseason run.
That risk hasn’t scared the Dodgers before.
Why the Dodgers Keep Coming Up in Skubal Talks
The Dodgers’ name refuses to leave the Skubal conversation because they exist in a different competitive tier. They already addressed their most glaring weakness by signing closer Edwin Díaz. They already possess one of baseball’s deepest farm systems. And they already operate with a payroll that allows them to absorb risk other teams can’t.
David Vassegh of “Dodger Talk” reported that people familiar with Detroit’s asking price believe the Tigers want a package comparable to what the Padres sent the Nationals for Juan Soto—even though Skubal would technically be a one-year rental. That’s a staggering ask, but Vassegh also pointed out the uncomfortable truth for the rest of the league: the Dodgers actually have those kinds of players to offer.
KTLA’s David Pingalore went a step further, reporting that Andrew Friedman has actively tried to work a major deal for Skubal. While no front office has confirmed that report, it lines up with how Los Angeles has operated for years. When elite talent becomes available, the Dodgers don’t wait for perfect conditions.
Even inside the clubhouse, the idea has traction. Tyler Glasnow recently acknowledged that the Skubal reports feel “relatively real” and didn’t hide his enthusiasm, calling Skubal “a perfect fit.” That’s not a front-office confirmation, but it does reflect how seriously the Dodgers’ own players are taking the possibility.
None of this comes cheap. Detroit will demand a haul that hurts, and the Dodgers must weigh whether surrendering elite prospects for a Boras client makes sense. But Los Angeles also understands something crucial: flags fly forever, and windows don’t.
With an aging core, a rotation built on both dominance and injury risk, and a chance to chase a third straight World Series title, Skubal represents more than a luxury. He represents control in October.
MLB.com didn’t just list Skubal as tradable. It placed him at the very top of the board. And if history is any guide, when the most valuable piece becomes available, the Dodgers rarely watch from the sidelines.
