The Los Angeles Dodgers figure to be right in the thick of the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes this winter, but they won’t be chasing him alone.
Skubal, 29, is headed for free agency and stands alone as the premier name on the market. A two-time Cy Young winner, he’s the kind of arm every club would love to land - the real question is which teams will actually come with the kind of money it takes.
According to MLB insiders who spoke with ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, seven clubs could be involved. The Dodgers were placed in the serious-bidder group alongside the Detroit Tigers, who got Skubal first, and the New York Mets, another team known for swinging big.
McDaniel wrote, "The Dodgers, Detroit Tigers and New York Mets came up most often for this category, though the Tigers were mentioned as more likely to be on the periphery than a true contender," McDaniel wrote. "Most insiders project the Dodgers and Mets to be serious bidders, but there is some hesitation surrounding the Dodgers given the controversy around the team's ownership. Some thought the Mets might be looking to do a shorter-term deal such as they did with Bo Bichette, which might not work if Skubal is looking to set a record for guaranteed money."
The Yankees also surfaced as a possible landing spot, trailing just behind that top tier in mentions.
"The New York Yankees were just behind that lead group in total mentions," he wrote. "For those who thought the Dodgers wouldn't break the bank, and the Mets would only offer AAV-record deals, the Yankees were a common fallback."
Then there’s the group of teams labeled as sleepers: the Los Angeles Angels, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. All three share something that could help their pitch, according to the reporting. McDaniel said, "the Angels and Padres have new ownership, and the White Sox have a new owner in waiting."
The Dodgers’ interest would not be coming out of nowhere. They traded three top prospects for Skubal before the deadline, a move that looked like more than a rental swing. That deal gave Los Angeles a front-row seat to his work on the mound and a chance for Skubal to get comfortable inside the organization.
That matters in Los Angeles, where the Dodgers’ appeal goes well beyond wins and losses. They’ve built a reputation for how they operate off the field, too, and Skubal has already spoken warmly about the way the club handled him. He praised the Dodgers’ culture and the welcome he received, saying it made him feel at home with the reigning two-time World Series champions.
Still, familiarity doesn’t lock anything in. Skubal has also had plenty of good things to say about Detroit, and after multiple elbow surgeries, he may simply choose the biggest deal and the largest guarantee available.
For now, the Dodgers look like a real threat to land him - but only if they’re willing to pay up. And from the looks of it, plenty of other teams will be ready to make that choice too.
In Other News...
Dodgers Face One Pitching Decision That Could Define Their Next Title Push
The Dodgers run to another postseason ended with a sweep at the hands of the Brewers in the NLCS, a reminder that even a loaded roster can be short of the last bit of pitching depth needed to keep a title streak alive. With a third straight World Series trophy slipping away, the offseason conversation in Los Angeles is already turning to how the staff gets sharper, deeper and more reliable when October pressure arrives again.
One path starts with keeping ace starter Tarik Skubal in the fold, but the broader case is for adding more help around him. Adrian Morejon, Alex Vesia and Clay Holmes all fit the kind of bullpen and pitching mix the Dodgers could use, offering recent performance and roster compatibility that could matter as much as star power in the next push. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Lose Familiar Catching Depth As Roster Picture Gets Murkier
Ben Rortvedt is back on the market after electing free agency following the 2026 season, another small but notable shift in the Dodgers catching picture. The 27-year-old had been brought back at the trade deadline to help cover for injured players, and he appeared in 16 major league games for Los Angeles after previously spending time with the club in late 2025.
For a Dodgers team that has leaned on familiar depth pieces when the roster has thinned, Rortvedts departure leaves one less experienced option in the mix. He had already bounced through the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets organizations before returning to Los Angeles, and now the Dodgers will have to sort through a catching situation that feels a little less settled heading into the next stretch of roster planning. [Read more 🡒]
Max Muncy Sums Up The Dodgers Collapse In One Painful Reality
The Dodgers walked into the offseason carrying the sting of a playoff run that never quite broke their way. Swept by the Brewers in the National League Championship Series, Los Angeles saw its bid for a three-peat end in a series that turned especially frustrating because the club led in all four games but could not make those advantages stick, with the offense repeatedly coming up short in key spots.
Max Muncy was among the voices trying to make sense of it afterward, and his comments reflected how heavy the disappointment felt inside the clubhouse. He pointed to the grind of multiple long seasons as part of the reality the team has been living with, a reminder that even for a roster built to contend every year, the physical and mental toll can pile up when October ends in the kind of abrupt, painful fashion the Dodgers just endured. [Read more 🡒]