Dodgers predicted to trade for $400M 2-time Cy Young winner, 2-time All-Star to dominate MLB

The Detroit Tigers had some offseason tension with ace Tarik Skubal after the two sides could not come to terms on a contract extension. There is no doubt that Skubal is one of the best pitchers in the world, but the gap between the two sides remains significant.

“The Tigers and superstar pitcher Tarik Skubal have a lot of work to do if they’re going to bridge quite possibly the biggest gap in MLB negotiating history: an estimated quarter of a billion dollars. Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million,” New York Post’s Jon Heyman wrote.

Even though Skubal and the organization are struggling to reach an agreement, both sides still want to continue negotiating. The biggest factor will obviously be the financial terms, but there is mutual interest in making something work.

“Not only would the Tigers like to re-sign Tarik Skubal, Tarik Skubal would like to stay in Detroit,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan said.

If an extension cannot be reached, the Tigers could still get significant value for Skubal in a trade. One possible destination that makes sense is the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“The Tigers had a rough finish to 2025, particularly on offense, and that's not something Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander will fix. A middling offense and untimely pitching injuries could push the Tigers out of the race and put Skubal on the block. Even as a rental with an enormous salary (he would still be owed about $10 million at the trade deadline), the bidding war for Skubal would be fierce. He's a balance of power player, someone who can swing a division race or a postseason series all by himself,” CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa wrote.

Adding Skubal would only strengthen the dominant pitching staff the Dodgers already possess. The left-hander could even be in line to chase another Cy Young-level season, which would elevate an already elite rotation.

Los Angeles is known for making blockbuster moves in free agency, so adding a major trade to the mix would not be surprising. The Dodgers are aiming to win their third consecutive World Series, and acquiring Skubal could help push them closer to that goal.

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