The Los Angeles Dodgers have made a significant move to strengthen their pitching rotation. They reached an agreement on a trade with the Detroit Tigers to acquire two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. Although the deal hasn’t been officially confirmed by either team, reports indicate the Dodgers will send the Tigers three prospects in return.
The prospects involved are Triple-A right-hander River Ryan, Double-A outfielder Zyhir Hope, and Class A right-hander Brady Smith. Initially, right-hander Emmet Sheehan was rumored to be part of the trade package. However, Sheehan was present in the Dodgers clubhouse after their game against the Boston Red Sox, and manager Dave Roberts confirmed Sheehan’s scheduled start on Sunday.
This trade allows the Dodgers to acquire Skubal without depleting their major league roster or parting with their top prospects, like Double-A outfielder Josue De Paula or Double-A right-hander Christian Zazueta.
Dodgers player Alex Vesia expressed his amazement over the news, saying, “Wild. Absolutely wild. I can’t believe that.” Vesia mentioned that he learned about the trade from his mother via text message.
Adding Skubal strengthens the Dodgers’ rotation, already led by Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Skubal provides extra depth if pitchers like Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, or Shohei Ohtani become unavailable for postseason play. Yamamoto expressed surprise at the news, noting he had heard rumors before the acquisition became a reality.
Skubal, age 29, is a standout pitcher with tremendous regular season and postseason stats. In the past two seasons, he has achieved a record of 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA in 2024 and 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 2025. He has also excelled in the postseason with a 2.04 ERA and a 0.73 WHIP in six starts, striking out 12.7 batters per nine innings. This season, Skubal holds a 7-5 record and a 2.79 ERA from 16 starts.
He recently underwent a procedure called the ‘NanoNeedle,’ allowing him to recover quickly from elbow surgery. Since his return, Skubal has posted a 4-3 record with a 2.87 ERA in nine starts, though the Tigers were not able to stay in contention.
The Dodgers are expected to absorb the remainder of Skubal’s $9 million salary for this season. Looking ahead, Skubal’s agent, Scott Boras, is likely to pursue a record-breaking contract, potentially aiming for $400 million.
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