Tarik Skubal is shaping up as the offseason’s biggest prize, and the chase is already starting to take shape.
The Dodgers want to keep him after landing him from the Detroit Tigers before the trade deadline, but they’re not alone in the hunt. The Mets and Cubs are in the mix too, and now the Padres have entered the conversation as another club with real interest in the left-hander.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, San Diego is planning to be aggressive in its pursuit of starting pitching this winter. Morosi also reported, “The Padres, under new ownership, already have expressed interest in Tarik Skubal.”
That new ownership matters here. José E.
Feliciano and Kwanza Jones have taken over the team from the Seidler family, and that could change how the Padres operate in a market like this. With deeper pockets in place, they may be more willing to push into the top tier of free agency as they try to win over their fanbase.
At the same time, the Padres already have a lot of long-term money committed, which could force them to be selective. They may still chase impact talent, but there’s also a path where they lean toward more manageable deals while trying to improve the roster.
That’s why San Diego looks like a dark horse rather than the favorite. The real battle still appears to be headed toward the Dodgers and Mets.
The current sense is that New York could be the team most willing to go highest in total dollars, while Los Angeles might prefer a shorter deal with a bigger average annual value. There’s also a belief that Skubal would like to stay with the Dodgers, and Blake Snell has been actively recruiting him back to the team. But as always in free agency, money can shift the picture fast, and it will ultimately come down to what kind of contract Skubal wants.
The timing adds another layer. Multiple reports say Skubal wants to get a deal done before the likely Dec. 1 lockout.
That urgency makes sense, especially for players chasing major contracts. The next Collective Bargaining Agreement is expected to bring more restrictions on big payrolls and spending, including a possible salary cap, tougher taxes for teams that cross certain thresholds, or even max contracts.
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