The Los Angeles Dodgers may be the team to watch if the Detroit Tigers decide to listen on Tarik Skubal.
That’s the read from Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney and Katie Woo of The Athletic, who identified the Dodgers as a better fit for the left-hander than the Tampa Bay Rays, even though Tampa Bay has been mentioned as a dark horse in the chase. The reasoning is simple enough: Los Angeles has the prospect depth and the financial muscle to chase a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber, and if the Dodgers decide he’s the kind of arm that can help them chase a third straight World Series title, they have the resources to make it happen.
The Rays, though, are hardly an afterthought. They enter the deadline in strong position, sitting at 59-42 with the best record in the American League.
Tampa Bay leads the New York Yankees by 2.5 games in the AL East and holds a seven-game edge over the Boston Red Sox. If there’s a club with reason to push chips in, it’s them.
And the Rays have shown before that they’re willing to act when the moment calls for it. In 2021, they brought in Nelson Cruz, an All-Star that season, to help as a designated hitter.
They also made a run at Shohei Ohtani before he left the Los Angeles Angels in free agency for their rivals, offering Junior Caminero and Carson Williams. That kind of pursuit is what keeps Tampa Bay in the conversation here, even if adding a rental of Skubal’s stature is not their usual lane.
If the Rays did land him, the fit on paper would be nasty. Skubal alongside All-Stars Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez, plus Shane McClanahan, would give Tampa Bay one of the strongest starting rotations in baseball.
In Other News...
Former Buccaneers Receiver Still Waiting On His Next NFL Break
Sterling Shepards run in Tampa Bay ended after two seasons, and the veteran receiver is still looking for his next NFL landing spot. He gave the Buccaneers a steady presence across 28 games, producing 71 catches for 705 yards and two touchdowns, but the team moved on for 2026 as it reshapes the receiver group around younger options and other veterans following Mike Evans departure.
Shepard has kept himself in the mix by working out for the Ravens recently, a sign that teams are still at least taking a look at what he can offer. For now, though, the market has not moved in his favor, and his next opportunity remains one of the quieter roster-watch storylines for a Tampa Bay offense trying to retool without one of its most familiar targets. [Read more 🡒]
Young Bucs Defender Sent A Team First Message Fans Will Notice
With several contract decisions looming for the Buccaneers, Yaya Diaby is already making clear where he thinks the first priority should be. The young outside linebacker, speaking on the Pewter Report Podcast, put the focus on the bigger picture around the roster rather than his own situation, while Tampa Bay also weighs future deals for Baker Mayfield, Vita Vea and Chase McLaughlin.
Diaby also sounds ready for a larger voice in the locker room after Lavonte Davids departure. He talked about stepping into a more vocal leadership role this season, a shift that matters for a defense trying to establish its identity and for a player who appears willing to embrace more responsibility as the offseason decisions keep stacking up. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs May Finally Have A Backfield Edge They Can't Waste
The Buccaneers may be lining up for something they have not always had in recent seasons: a backfield with enough depth and variety to make a real committee work. Bucky Irving, Kenneth Gainwell and Sean Tucker each bring a different skill set, and that gives Tampa Bay a chance to lean into two-back personnel packages instead of forcing one runner to do everything. For offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, that kind of flexibility could open up more ways to stress defenses and keep the run game from becoming predictable.
Gainwells pass-catching and protection ability make him a natural piece in those looks, while Tucker gives the group a more downhill edge when the Bucs want to change the pace. The bigger question is whether Tampa Bay actually commits to using all of it, because a backfield this balanced can be an advantage only if the team is willing to keep rotating and let the matchups dictate the plan. [Read more 🡒]