Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell have given Dodgers fans a new subplot to latch onto as October nears: a genuine clubhouse bond that looks a lot bigger than a passing joke.
The pair shared a moment after Thursday’s 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, a victory that secured Los Angeles its 13th NL West title in the last 14 seasons and its fifth straight. Skubal and Snell leaned right into the chemistry, with Skubal saying, "It's gonna be special. It's gonna be the first of many."
Snell shot back, "Tell em it's gonna be special because you're playing this postseason with your boy."
Then Skubal doubled down on the friendship, saying, "This is my best friend; he's my little brother."
That kind of easy back-and-forth is exactly what makes a clubhouse feel bigger than the sum of its parts. The talent is obvious. The connection is what gives it some personality.
And this one sounds real. The two have been playing pranks on each other, tipping over each other’s chairs in the clubhouse, and leaning into Step Brothers-style jokes about becoming new best friends on social media.
Pitching coach Mark Prior kept it simple: "He's just chill. You can joke around with him.
You can talk to him."
Those are the little things that matter when a team gets into October. Stuff, command and big-game poise all count. So does being able to relax around the guy next to you.
There’s even some history for fans to grab onto here. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo formed that kind of bond in Chicago before helping break a 108-year championship drought in 2016, and people are still talking about that friendship a decade later.
Of course, there’s a catch. Scott Boras has built a career on steering his top clients toward the open market, and Snell is one of them. Snell is on his own five-year, $182 million deal signed in 2024 that runs through 2029, with a conditional option for 2030.
If Skubal follows Snell and signs somewhere in the three-to-five-year range this winter, the two could stay together in the rotation for at least three seasons and maybe four, right in the heart of their prime.
But friendship only goes so far against Boras, and that part of the equation does not change. A team is still going to have to come with the best offer, plus some likey gaudy contract incentives, to get him to sign.
What does help the Dodgers’ case is what Skubal has done since the trade. He’s gone 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA over eight starts in Dodger blue, looking like a two-time Cy Young winner who has settled in fast and is having fun doing it.
That may be the biggest reason this whole thing has caught on. The bromance is entertaining, sure.
But the baseball has matched it. And if that relationship ever turns into a long-term pairing in Los Angeles, with Skubal next to his little brother for years to come, Dodgers fans will know exactly why they started dreaming in the first place.
In Other News...
Dodgers Could Get A Massive Lift Right Before The Padres Series
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Pages is targeting a return for Tuesday's opener after recovering from hand surgery, while Sasaki is expected to be available out of the bullpen in one of the games as he comes back from a blister on his hand. Ohtani, who has been progressing with running and hitting drills, is eligible to return on Wednesday and could wait until Thursday, leaving the Dodgers with a little suspense even as the lineup and staff begin to get healthier. [Read more 🡒]
Roki Sasakis New Dodgers Role Could Matter More Than Ever
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For a Dodgers team always balancing October and the long regular season, that kind of flexibility can matter. Sasaki showed he could handle relief work late last season, and the postseason only added to that rsum, so this move gives Los Angeles another weapon while it eases him back into the mix. What remains to be seen is how quickly the Dodgers lean into the bigger late-game role his recent track record suggests he can handle. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Face One Big October Decision On Josue De Paula
Josue De Paulas sudden jump from Double-A Tulsa to the majors gave the Dodgers a fresh look at one of the more intriguing young hitters in the organization just as October came into focus. The move, prompted by Shohei Ohtanis injured-list placement, underscored how much the club valued De Paulas performance in the minors and how quickly he has climbed into the conversation for a postseason role as a designated hitter or corner outfielder.
The wrinkle is less about talent than eligibility, which can make these late-season roster calls feel like their own separate game. Because De Paula was not on the 40-man roster by Sept. 1, the Dodgers would need to go through the Commissioner's Office to have him included on the postseason roster, and that path depends on replacing an injured player who has already met the minimum injured-list requirement. For a team with championship expectations, it leaves one more October decision hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]