If the Los Angeles Dodgers want to keep Tarik Skubal in town, they'll have to go long.
Skubal is uninterested in taking a short-term deal at a higher average annual value this winter, which is what the Dodgers would apparently prefer, sources told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Rather, the two-time Cy Young winner is dead set on finding a long-term home this offseason.
The Dodgers want to re-sign Skubal, who they acquired from the Detroit Tigers this summer in a trade-deadline blockbuster. However, their apparent reluctance to commit long term stems from the financial uncertainty surrounding this offseason. MLB is expected to lock out its players when the collective bargaining agreement expires next month, and the league is openly pushing for a salary cap.
Last year, L.A. stunned the baseball world by adding All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240-million contract. Tucker chose the lucrative short-term deal - which included a $64-million signing bonus, a $55-million salary in 2027, and $60-million player options in 2028 and '29 - over several long-term offers from other suitors. His contract is essentially a template for what the team is proposing to Skubal, according to Feinsand.
But Skubal and his agent Scott Boras don't appear to even be tempted by that kind of proposal. The 29-year-old is looking to sign the most expensive contract ever for a pitcher, which would surpass Yoshinobu Yamamoto's 12-year, $325-million deal signed in 2023.
Skubal reportedly took meetings with the Dodgers, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Toronto Blue Jays, and two other mystery teams this week. He's widely expected to choose his next team before the CBA expires on Dec. 1.
The Padres' interest in Skubal is said to be serious and new owners José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones want to spend money this winter. However, it appears more likely that they'll spread their available funds around instead of investing heavily in one player, a source told Feinsand.
Skubal put up a 2.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 186 strikeouts over 26 starts with the Tigers and Dodgers in 2026, his seventh big-league season. However, he missed some time during the year after undergoing surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow.
