If the Los Angeles Dodgers don't budge in their contract negotiations with Tarik Skubal, he's destined to leave.

Skubal came to LA during the middle of the 2026 season, but there were no guarantees the team would be able to re-sign him in the offseason.

On paper, it seemed like the Dodgers were the odds-on favorites to retain him, but that doesn't seem to be how things are playing out.

Skubal's agent is Scott Boras, and Boras is someone who never takes no for an answer. Some of the best contracts in baseball have been constructed by him, and now he's representing the hottest free agent in all of baseball.

USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale recently reported that Skubal has "no interest" in signing a short-term deal, but that's what the Dodgers were ready to present him with.

Even if Skubal were given a deal with an astronomical AAV, similar to Kyle Tucker's four-year, $240 million deal, it's clear he has no interest.

So, if the Dodgers want to win the Skubal sweepstakes, they're going to need to act quickly before a team like the New York Mets gets the job done.

In no world would a four-year, $325 million deal make sense. Remember, this is the same Dodgers team that locked up Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year deal with that value, so Boras has made it crystal clear that Skubal isn't going to settle for anything less.

Skubal has been projected to receive as much as $500 million this offseason, and that's not even a number the Dodgers are comfortable paying him.

Nightengale told MLB teams, "You better come in with an offer exceeding $325 million if you want a seat at the high-stakes table."

At this point, it doesn't even feel like the Dodgers are in the conversation. There's a clear reason why they only want him around for a few years with a high AAV, but at the end of the day, that's simply not going to work with these negotiations.

It's not like the Dodgers haven't dealt with Boras before, but these are entirely different circumstances with a potential lockout on the horizon.

Skubal's deal is likely going to come in the blink of an eye, and it would be incredibly surprising to see him not put pen to paper by Dec. 1.

At the current moment, Nightengale believes the Dodgers are still in the conversation, but the Mets seem to have a bit of an advantage.

Other potential suitors include both the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays.