Baseball
Baseball
Dodgers Acquire Two-Time Cy Young Winner Tarik Skubal in Blockbuster Trade
The Los Angeles Dodgers, aiming for an unprecedented third consecutive World Series title, have acquired two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers in a significant trade that unfolded late Saturday night. The move bolsters an already formidable Dodgers roster, adding one of baseball’s top left-handed starters ahead of the August 3 trade deadline.
In exchange for Skubal, who is set to become a free agent after this season, the Tigers received a package of three prospects: outfielder Zyhir Hope, and right-handers River Ryan and Brady Smith. Hope and Ryan are both ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects, at No. 25 and No. 68 respectively. Hope was the Dodgers’ No. 5 prospect, Ryan No. 7, and Smith No. 17 in their system. Upon joining the Tigers, Hope becomes their No. 2 prospect, Ryan No. 5, and Smith No. 12.
Skubal, 29, missed time earlier this season due to arthroscopic elbow surgery, but has pitched at an elite level when healthy. Across 62 starts and over 387 innings during his 2024 and 2025 Cy Young campaigns, he posted a 2.30 ERA, striking out 31.2% of opposing batters and accumulating a 13.1 WAR. He is the first pitcher to be traded in-season following a Cy Young win since R.A. Dickey in 2012, and the sixth overall. Skubal expressed excitement about joining the Dodgers, stating his eagerness to chase three consecutive championships.
The Dodgers, who currently hold the best record in baseball and a comfortable 10-game lead in the NL West, made the move despite an already star-studded rotation that has dealt with injuries to players like Shohei Ohtani, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. This acquisition comes as the Tigers, despite a third-best run differential in the American League and being only 2 ½ games out of a playoff spot, opted to trade their ace. The trade represents a significant investment for the Dodgers, who sent no players from their current major league roster to Detroit.
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