Tarik Skubal’s time with the Dodgers may have been brief, but it was memorable enough that Andrew Friedman made it clear the club would be open to extending the relationship.
After the 2026 season, Skubal is expected to headline the next free-agent class and could land what might become the biggest contract ever for a pitcher in MLB history. That kind of market will make things complicated, but Friedman didn’t hide the organization’s admiration during his end-of-season press conference.
“I’ll say it’s not easy for a guy to get traded in the middle of season, to come to a new city, new clubhouse. You have set routines, and you have to make those adjustments.
It’s not easy. The way he was able to seamlessly transition, not just in terms of on the field, but in the clubhouse, I can’t say enough good things about the impact that he made in such a short period of time,” Friedman said of Skubal during an end-of-the-season press conference.
He added, “We have a tremendous amount of respect for him on and off the field. And for us, he’s put himself in this position to go out and be a free agent. For us, it’s continue to talk to Scott (Boras), but he and his family get to make a choice of where they want to spend the next X number of years, and obviously we wish him nothing but the best.”
That leaves the Dodgers in the familiar position of interest without any certainty. Skubal would give Los Angeles another high-end arm and some protection if Shohei Ohtani is not able to pitch full time in 2027 or beyond. But whether the Dodgers jump into the market at the level it would take to land him is still an open question, especially with the next collective bargaining agreement looming and the possibility of a salary cap hanging over negotiations.
“We’re still wrapping our arms around our offseason plan and strategy and timing of things,” Friedman said.
On the field, Skubal delivered exactly what the Dodgers needed. He finished the regular season 5-2 with a 2.61 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 1.05 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine in 62 innings over 10 starts, then added a 1-1 record with a 2.45 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 11.5 strikeouts per nine in two playoff starts.
The fit wasn’t just statistical, either. Skubal clicked quickly with his new teammates and repeatedly said how much he enjoyed being around the organization.
Blake Snell, who developed a close bond with him during the season, said the two jokingly called each other “little brother,” and added that he would “love nothing more” than to see Skubal stay in Los Angeles. Snell also said he plans to do his part in free agency to recruit him.
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