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...
Lightning Newcomers Just Picked Numbers Fans Will Definitely Recognize
The Lightning have settled on the jersey numbers for their new free-agent additions, and a few of them will look instantly familiar to longtime fans. John Carlson is sticking with 74, Ilya Mikheyev will wear 95, Dennis Hildeby is taking 35 and Jeffrey Viel will go with 25, giving Tampa Bay a mix of personal continuity and numbers that already carry some franchise history.
Carlsons choice keeps him in the number he has worn throughout his NHL career, while Mikheyev is making a switch after previously using 65 in Toronto, Vancouver and Chicago. Hildebys selection connects him to a line of notable Lightning goaltenders, and Viels number stands out for its strong ties to one of the clubs most memorable eras, which makes the new arrivals sweater choices a small but interesting subplot as camp and the season approach. [Read more 🡒]