The Dodgers’ offseason ledger already has a few names trending toward the exit, and one of the biggest questions hanging over the roster is whether Tarik Skubal stays put after a brief but electric run in Los Angeles.
According to former general manager and current MLB insider for The Athletic Jim Bowden, Skubal would like to remain with the Dodgers, as he told Bill Reiter and Doug McKain on 97.1-FM The Fan.
"I think - and again, this is not him telling me or anyone else this - but the sense I get from people that he has talked to is, he would love to continue being a Los Angeles Dodger," Bowden said. "He loved his time with LA. He loved how the front office, and research and development department, and the pitching room, were able to help him to really show him the things he does well, and how they can help him become an even better pitcher than the guy who's won two Cy Young Awards."
Skubal arrived at the trade deadline on an expiring contract, so there was never any guarantee he’d be around beyond this season. And if he does hit the open market, he’s positioned to command the biggest payday of the winter, with some projections landing near $500 million.
On the mound, the numbers backed up the hype. Skubal posted a 2.61 ERA over 10 starts, covering 62 innings, in a Dodgers uniform. He was just as sharp in October, turning in a 2.45 ERA across two postseason starts and 11 innings, with 14 strikeouts and four walks.
Treinen is another free agent drawing attention, and his case comes with a different kind of uncertainty. The right-hander, now 38, was projected as one of three key relievers entering free agency after a season that included a 3.64 ERA in 36 appearances. He also missed nearly three months in the middle of the regular season because of an elbow injury and ended the year on the injured list with a shoulder issue.
The broader picture around the Dodgers’ free-agent class is just as unsettled. Three players have been projected to leave the organization before 2027, and two of them are starting pitchers, with a bullpen arm also expected to move on.
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