Tarik Skubal, who was traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline, will finally become an unrestricted free agent this winter. Having won back-to-back Cy Youngs in 2024 and 2025, the southpaw is expected to be the most premium pitching asset on the market. Predictions are already on the go about whether he could surpass the Dodgers’ Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 12-year, $325 million contract this offseason.
MLB insider Katie Woo brought the latest free-agent scoop on Skubal during her appearance on Tuesday’s ESPN LA. According to Woo, the Dodgers may be interested, but the New York Mets could be willing to outspend them to land Skubal.
“Specifically, the Mets are tired of being outplayed by the Dodgers and can outspend them if they want,” Woo said when asked if the Dodgers could re-sign Skubal.
Woo admitted that the Dodgers will be in play for Skubal after the pitcher bought into the culture, fan base, and overall mission in LA in his limited time over there.
“I know Tarik Skubal really enjoyed his time in Los Angeles, even though it was short,” Woo said. “I mean, he really bought into the culture, bought into the fan base, bought into what the overall mission was in LA. I think he wants to stay, but it’s ultimately going to come down to the best possible offer.”
Woo pointed out the example of Kyle Tucker’s free agency last year, when he took the Dodgers’ four-year, $240 million offer over other reported long-term offers. This could be the basis for Skubal to return to the Dodgers.
Overall, Woo suggested that it will be a very “complicated” free agency because of other factors like the pending expiration of the CBA and what the economic model could look like beyond December.
Mets Potential Tarik Skubal Contract Projected to Surpass Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s Dodgers Deal
There is no denying Tarik Skubal’s free agency could very well reset the starting pitcher market, much like Juan Soto’s New York Mets deal paved the way for enormous deals for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kyle Tucker last offseason.
Among MLB starters, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325 million contract headlines the starting pitching market. Moreover, among the southpaws, Yankees’ Max Fried tops the list with his eight-year, $218 million contract.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Mets could consider signing Skubal on a 10-year, $350 million deal. This is not surprising, knowing Mets owner Steve Cohen, who has previously gone to great lengths to secure key free agents.
Given the Mets’ dire need in rotation, a deal like this has great merit.
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