Tarik Skubal is headed for free agency this winter, and the bidding figure is already in eye-popping territory. The Dodgers left-hander is expected to be the prize of the market, with a deal that could make him the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history.
That kind of money usually brings a crowded field, and this one looks no different. Max Axisa of CBS Sports ranked the top 10 free agents for the 2026-27 offseason and pointed to the Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays as the earliest possible landing spots.
“Skubal is the clear-cut, inarguable No. 1 free agent,” Axisa wrote. “Excluding Yoshinobu Yamamoto, a special case as a Japanese star who lacked an MLB track record, Skubal will be the best starting pitcher to hit the open market since Gerrit Cole in 2019. Skubal has had some hiccups since returning from the NanoScope surgery on his pitching elbow in May, though he remains a bona fide ace who misses bats and limits hard contact at elite levels.
“He's also excelled in the postseason and is at an age that suggests he still has several peak years remaining. That's just about everything you could want in a big-money free agent starter.”
The Dodgers and Blue Jays have already spent recent offseasons chasing the biggest names on the market, including Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker. Los Angeles landed both stars. Toronto went big on both and came up short.
That backdrop makes Skubal an obvious target for both clubs. The Dodgers have shown they’ll pay for players they believe fit, and Toronto’s ownership has also shown a willingness to spend. Skubal fits the profile of a player the Blue Jays would pursue aggressively.
The price tag will be massive. Skubal is projected to command more than $400 million, with a chance the number climbs to $500 million.
If he keeps pitching the way he has in the postseason and continues to look like the Cy Young winner he’s been over the last two seasons, that half-billion dollar range won’t sound nearly as outrageous.
For now, Skubal is helping guide the Dodgers through another deep postseason push. In seven starts, the 29-year-old has posted a 2.93 ERA with a 2-2 record and 48 strikeouts in 43 innings.
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