The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers in a blockbuster trade. Skubal, who won the award in 2024 and 2025, has a 2.79 ERA in 16 starts this year, striking out 116 batters and walking 14 in 96⅔ innings. His ERA in July was an impressive 2.03. This acquisition strengthens an already star-studded Dodgers rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and soon, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow, all of whom are at various stages of returning from injury.
The trade sends outfielder Zyhir Hope and right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to the Detroit Tigers. Skubal, 29, is a pending free agent and was awarded a record $32 million salary this season after winning his arbitration case against the Tigers. The Dodgers will be responsible for approximately $9 million to $10 million of that salary for the remainder of the season. His pending free agency made him a highly sought-after trade target, with teams like the Braves, Phillies, and Brewers reportedly interested.
Despite having significant depth in their pitching staff, including Snell, Glasnow, and Ohtani (who is troubled by a sore left knee but expected to pitch in October), the Dodgers made this move to bolster their chances of a third consecutive World Series championship. Skubal’s career postseason ERA is 2.04 with 56 strikeouts in 39⅔ innings. His addition positions him as a strong candidate to be the Game 1 starter in the playoffs, headlining what was already considered one of the best rotations in baseball.
