Tarik Skubal gave Dodgers fans a quote that landed a little too close to home this week.
In a conversation with the LA Times, Skubal was asked about Stan Kroenke’s purchase of the Angels and whether it could make Anaheim a more appealing landing spot for top free agents. Kroenke is not expected to be formally approved as the Angels’ new owner until early next year, but Skubal didn’t hesitate to say the move could change the conversation.
"Absolutely," he told The Times. "Not only an owner that has obvious financial backing, but an owner that has turned the Rams into what the Rams are.
I think they're the Super Bowl favorite this year. There's an owner that cares about winning."
He went further, pointing to the kind of off-field investment that players notice just as much as the payroll.
"The impact he brings to the Angels? You bring an owner that really cares about winning and is willing to do whatever it takes to win and invest, not only with players on the field but all the stuff behind the scenes, like clubhouse renovations. I'm sure there will be a lot of stuff there that changes to make it state-of-the-art, because all that stuff matters."
That’s the part that made the comments feel bigger than a casual answer. Skubal was talking about the ingredients that make a franchise attractive: money, a winning standard, and the kind of day-to-day environment players want to walk into. Those are the same things that have helped make the Dodgers such a draw for years.
Still, Dodgers fans probably shouldn’t treat this like a warning flare just yet. Skubal also told The LA Times that he’s focused on helping the Dodgers chase a third straight World Series this year and hasn’t spent much time thinking about his own free agency. He also acknowledged that a strong playoff run would help boost his market.
There’s also the Scott Boras factor. It’s not hard to see how a quote like this fits the playbook of a super-agent who knows how to create early buzz and build leverage long before a deal actually needs to get done.
So yes, the words were enough to make Dodgers fans do a double take. But the pitcher saying them is still in the middle of the mission right now, wearing Dodger blue and trying to help deliver a third title in a row.
In Other News...
USC Should Notice This Oregon QB Problem Before The Ducks Visit
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The concern is less about one uneven night than the larger pattern around Moores first-year run as the Ducks starter. There have already been moments when he has not quite matched the level expected of him, and that leaves a real question for a trip to Los Angeles: can he make the decisive throws when Oregon needs them most? USC will have plenty to sort out on its own before the Ducks arrive, but this is the kind of quarterback issue that can shape a Big Ten showdown long before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
USC Faces A Rutgers Threat Built To Keep Maiava Watching
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For the Trojans, the challenge is less about the name on the roster and more about what Rutgers wants to do with the ball once the game starts. A running attack that can stay on schedule and drain clock is exactly the kind of approach that can keep USC quarterback Maiava on the sideline and turn an opener into a possession game, making the Scarlet Knights' ability to control the ground a central part of the matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Walks Into A Much Bigger USC Test Than Expected
USCs fast start has turned the Sept. 26 home date with Oregon into one of the seasons hottest tickets, with the school announcing the game is sold out. A 3-0 beginning has helped lift interest around the program, and the buzz has been fueled by quarterback Jayden Maiavas strong play and a wave of freshmen stepping into meaningful roles early in the year.
The matchup now carries a little more intrigue than the rankings might suggest, since Oregon is listed as a 1.5-point favorite even with USC sitting higher in the AP Poll. Both teams are expected to take care of business in the immediate lead-up, which only adds to the sense that this one could say a lot about where the Trojans really stand when a top opponent shows up in the Coliseum. [Read more 🡒]