The trade that MLB fans have feared for years has finally happened. The Detroit Tigers are sending ace pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for prospects Zyhir Hope, River Ryan, and Brady Smith. This move turns an already star-studded roster into an unstoppable force. Many see it as the final straw and that this move will guarantee a lockout. One that could cost us the 2027 season. But that is an article for another day. Here is why each team made this move.
What to Make of the Tarik Skubal Trade
The Dodgers Perspective
This move highlights just how ahead of everyone the Dodgers are. They are as close as a team can get to being a perfect organization. They can trade for whoever they want because of their deep farm system. They can sign whoever they want due to their deep pockets. And have built a culture of winning that attracts everyone to them. It’s a machine that we have not seen in major league history. The addition of Skubal makes their roster look like a Diamond Dynasty team. They will basically be playing with an all-star team every night. How can anyone be expected to compete with that type of roster?
Skubal is in the middle of another great season. While he’s not as dominant as he’s been in the past, he will still be the ace of the Dodgers’ staff. In 96 2/3 innings, he has an ERA of 2.79 with 116 strikeouts to 14 walks, a 0.910 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 154. This will fill the holes left by Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell being on the IL. Even Shohei Ohtani is not pitching due to injuries, and it’s unknown if he’ll be able to again this season. With Skubal, these questions no longer matter. They know that every fifth day they will have someone on the mound that will give them a quality outing. They also have their guy that can start any big game they need.
The Tigers Perspective
While the thought process for trading Skubal makes sense, the return does not. If the Tigers feel that they were not going to be able to sign Skubal, then trading him for a haul is the right move. Get something for him that could be part of the next championship core. However, despite Skubal only being under control until the end of the season, it feels like the Tigers could have gotten more. Sure, they got a couple of guys in the Top 100 prospect list, and a high-upside pitching prospect. But if they had started a bidding war or asked the Atlanta Braves or Milwaukee Brewers to counter, they easily could have gotten more.
The main get is Hope. He is the 25th overall prospect in baseball. He has a good combination of power and speed. He should make the MLB by next season and is someone the Tigers can build around. Ryan is the 68th overall prospect in baseball. He relies heavily on his velocity; his four-seamer has reached 100 mph. His slider is one of the best secondary options in the minors and creates a lethal combination. It’s his first full season off Tommy John surgery, and he will either be a top-of-the-line starter or a high-leverage reliever. Smith has not put up the numbers yet, but he had one of the highest upside in the Dodgers system.
