The Blue Jays and Dodgers have spent enough time circling the same stars that another showdown almost feels inevitable. They went head-to-head for Shohei Ohtani, with Ohtani ending up in Los Angeles.
Toronto then reached the World Series, pushed the Dodgers to the brink and still walked away with a Game 7 loss after a homer sent the game to extras. Over the offseason, the two clubs were back in the mix for Kyle Tucker before he chose the Dodgers.
Now there’s another name that could put them on a collision course: Tarik Skubal.
CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa listed both Toronto and Los Angeles as early possible destinations for the Cy Young-winning ace when he hits free agency in the 2026-2027 window.
"Skubal is the clear-cut, inarguable No. 1 free agent," Axisa writes. "Super early possible landing spots: Blue Jays, Dodgers."
For Toronto, the fit is easy to see. The Blue Jays have shown they’re willing to spend, and a pitcher of Skubal’s caliber is exactly the kind of player that justifies a massive swing. The price tag will be enormous - likely north of $300 million overall and possibly beyond $400 million - but that hasn’t been framed as a deterrent.
The appeal goes beyond just adding another arm. Pairing Skubal with Dylan Cease would give the Blue Jays the kind of top-end one-two punch teams dream about in October. Skubal has posted a 2.84 ERA in what’s been described as a down year by his standards, while Cease is a strong Cy Young candidate in the AL this season.
With Trey Yesavage and Jose Soriano also in the mix, Toronto could be looking at an elite rotation if it can land Skubal.
Of course, the Dodgers figure to make that pursuit complicated. Toronto would likely have to outbid them, and that’s never a simple task. But the Blue Jays have been in this position before, battling Los Angeles for marquee talent, and if they want Skubal badly enough, they may have another chance to win one of these wars.
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Blue Jays Deadline Looks Smarter Than Fans Think And More Frustrating Too
The Blue Jays trade deadline was always going to be judged through more than one lens, and that is exactly why the discussion around it has lingered. Toronto chose a path that leaned into both present value and future flexibility, and the move that sent Kevin Gausman out for Brett Bateman and Ty Southisene has been part of the reason the front offices approach looks sharper in hindsight than it did in the moment.
At the same time, there is still a familiar edge of frustration for fans who wanted a bigger swing. The clubs decision-making was built around keeping the roster competitive while also trying to strengthen what comes next, but the debate has not gone away because the deadline also left room for what might have been, including a possible route to Jo Adell if the Blue Jays had pushed harder in the right spot. [Read more 🡒]