Detroit Tigers fireballer might be on trading block during offseason and potential trade with Los Angeles offers up some key players.
Would it be possible to see Detroit Tigers fireballer Tarik Skubal wearing Dodger blue pretty soon?
Of course, in the world of free agency and the upcoming Winter Meetings, anything is possible.
The Los Angeles Dodgers want to secure, as in lock it down, a third consecutive World Series championship. Skubal is one of the most sought-after pitchers in MLB right now.
Skubal has been a main reason for the Tigers' resurgence in the past couple of seasons. Yet he's probably a target for teams like the Dodgers right now.
A veteran MLB insider has painted a picture of what might be involved in a Dodgers trade for Skubal.
Longtime MLB general manager and executive Jim Bowden, in a recent article for The Athletic, offered some possible trade targets involving the Dodgers and Tigers. According to Bowden, the Dodgers might be willing to offer up right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan, left-handed pitchers Justin Wrobleski and Jackson Ferris, and outfielder Zyhir Hope.
"The Dodgers already have four aces in their rotation and an exciting development project in Roki Sasaki," Bowden wrote. "However, teams can never have enough starting pitching, so the Dodgers have no reason not to add another ace to the top of the rotation, especially when they can offer a competitive package and have the resources to keep him long-term, as well."
Bowden is spot-on right here. MLB teams want starting pitching in the worse way possible. That's a big reason for the Dodgers to seek out Skubal's services.
"Los Angeles could offer two major-league ready starting pitchers in Sheehan and Wrobleski, and a third pitcher in Ferris who’s getting closer to being major-league ready," Bowden wrote.
"Sheehan and Wrobleski have already cut their teeth at the major-league level, even getting important innings during the postseason," Bowden wrote. "Sheehan was especially impressive with the Dodgers this year, putting up a 2.82 ERA in 73 1/3 innings during the regular season."
Bowden said that Ferris should start the 2026 season at Triple-A. He posted a 3.62 ERA in 154 1/3 innings at Double A over the last two seasons he pitched there. Bowden also pointed out that Ferris and Hope were part of an LA deal that sent Michael Busch to Chicago.
"Hope has the highest ceiling among this group," Bowden wrote. "He’s at least two years away from the major leagues, but he reached Double A at the end of the season and has above-average on-base skills to go along with a power-and-speed combination at the plate and a strong glove in center field."
Anything is possible, but Skubal in a Dodgers uniform would look pretty awesome for fans at Dodger Stadium next season.