Tarik Skubal stands alone as the leading player available in free agency and has a realistic opportunity to establish new contract records for a pitcher.

His decision could control the pace of the entire offseason.

Teams pursuing other starting pitchers may wait for Skubal to choose his destination before allocating their money elsewhere. The value of his contract could also influence negotiations involving several other leading free agents.

The Los Angeles Dodgers would have a significant opening to fill in their rotation should Skubal sign with another team.

Left-hander Robbie Ray represents a familiar alternative who could join Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki in the starting rotation.

Ray went 13-8 with a 3.59 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 165.2 innings over 31 appearances (30 starts) with the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres in 2026.

He struggled during the postseason, going 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA and 2.18 WHIP in 3.2 innings over two appearances (one start).

Ray has quietly remained one of MLB’s better pitchers during the past half-decade. He won the Cy Young Award with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023 while pitching for the Seattle Mariners.

The 35-year-old has recovered from his left elbow operation and produced two solid seasons with the Giants and Padres.

Ray is no longer the dominant pitcher who captured the Cy Young Award five years ago. However, his recent performance has shown that he remains capable of occupying a place in the middle of an MLB rotation.

A short-term contract would carry limited risk for the Dodgers. Ray would provide another established starter without requiring Los Angeles to make the enormous financial commitment necessary to retain Skubal.

At this stage of his career, Ray could contribute beyond his starts. He would bring considerable experience to a rotation that remains relatively young and could provide guidance to pitchers still learning how to manage the demands of an entire MLB season.

Ray understands the preparation necessary to reach the top of the sport. He also knows how to respond when injuries interrupt a career and force a pitcher to rebuild his mechanics, workload and confidence.

That perspective could make him useful to Sasaki and the other younger members of the pitching staff.

Ray would not need to dominate conversations or assume a formal leadership position. His preparation and recovery from surgery could provide an example without requiring him to do so.

The Dodgers would also benefit from his willingness to compete aggressively and accept a role behind their leading starters. He would not be asked to replace everything Skubal provides or carry the rotation himself.

Ray could instead supply innings, stabilize the middle of the rotation and help protect the staff when injuries or workload concerns arise.

His postseason difficulties deserve consideration, but they should not outweigh two full seasons of solid work following major elbow surgery.

For Los Angeles, Ray would represent a practical alternative capable of helping the rotation without limiting future flexibility.