The Los Angeles Dodgers completed the biggest blockbuster deal of the MLB trade deadline, acquiring two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers.
Skubal got the news on Saturday night during the Tigers' 8-6 win over the Athletics. He was emotional after the game, leaving the team that drafted him in 2018 and developed him into a pitching star to join the two-time defending World Series champions.
“I’m thrilled to be a Dodger. I can’t wait to get there, meet everyone, and chase a third straight championship. It’s tough, but I’m excited to be part of it. There are definitely a lot of mixed emotions. Some ups and downs, for sure,” Skubal said.
Skubal is the latest star to join the Dodgers' loaded roster, alongside big names like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Mookie Betts.
If everyone stays healthy, he could slot into a starting rotation with Ohtani, Yamamoto—last year's World Series MVP—Blake Snell, another two-time Cy Young winner, and Tyler Glasnow. The Dodgers already lead MLB with a 3.36 starter ERA, and now they add Skubal to that mix.
The Dodgers sit atop the NL West and, even before Skubal, were the favorites to become the first team to win three straight titles since the New York Yankees from 1998–2000.
According to ESPN, the Tigers will receive three young prospects: right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith, plus outfielder Zyhir Hope.
Skubal becomes a free agent after the World Series in October. He's earning a record $32 million this year in arbitration after the team offered $19 million, and he's expected to sign a massive contract in the offseason.
The 29-year-old left-hander said in July he wanted to finish the season with the Tigers and compete for a World Series title, something the franchise hasn't won since 1984. Skubal admitted leaving Detroit was “really difficult” without achieving that goal.
This season, Skubal is 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts over 96 2/3 innings. In seven seasons, all with Detroit, he's 61-42 with a 3.04 ERA. In two postseason runs, Skubal is 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA over six appearances.
Skubal underwent minor surgery on May 6 to remove a loose body from his throwing elbow and returned to action on June 13. “The surgery went as planned,” he said in July.
