CARY, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 06: Tanner Donati #22 of the West Chester Golden Rams scores against Jhoander Irigoyen #18 of the Tampa Spartans during the Division II Baseball Championship held at USA Baseball National Training Complex on June 5, 2026 in Cary, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) | NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Grant Kipp started and allowed four runs on just two hits over 4.2 innings. Kipp walked three and struck out two.
Two of those four runs allowed by Kipp came after he was relieved by Eduarniel Nuñez in the fifth inning. Nuñez took the loss after he surrendered two runs on three hits over 1.1 innings. One of those hits was a three-run home run to the first batter he faced. Nuñez walked one and struck out one.
Hoby Milner pitched 1.1 innings in a rehab start. Milner gave up a solo home run to George Lombard Jr., the first batter he faced and the only run he allowed. Milner gave up two hits total. Milner struck out one and walked no one.
Ethan Roberts pitched the top of the ninth on another rehab assignment. Roberts hit the first batter he faced, but he faced the minimum after that runner was thrown out stealing. Roberts struck out one.
Second baseman Ben Cowles went 2 for 3 with a walk and a two-run single in the fourth inning.
Right fielder Brett Bateman was 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored once.
Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 2 for 4 with an RBI single.
Brooks Caple gave up a two-run home run in the third inning, but little else. His final line was two runs on five hits over five innings. Caple walked two and struck out four.
Tyler Schlaffer gave up an unearned run in the top of the tenth inning and got the loss after the Smokies failed to score in the bottom of the inning. Schlaffer allowed one run on four hits over three innings. Schlaffer struck out three and walked no one.
Both Smokies runs came on a two-run home run in the fourth inning by catcher Ariel Armas. It was Armas’ third home run on the year. Armas went 1 for 3 with a walk.
Starter Alfredo Romero surrendered two runs on two hits over 3.2 innings. Romero struggled with control as he walked five and struck out three.
Jackson Brockett was given the win because Romero didn’t go five, but Brockett earned it by three scoreless innings of relief without allowing a single hit. Brockett did walk two while striking out five.
Second baseman Michael Hallquist hit two home runs tonight. The first came with a man on in the second inning and the second one was a solo shot in the fifth. Halbach went 2 for 4 with two walks.
Center fielder Kade Snell stayed hot, going 3 for 5 with a walk and two runs scored. Snell also stole two bases.
First baseman Michael Carico doubled twice in a 2 for 5 night. He also walked once. Carico scored twice and had one run batted in.
Left fielder Jose Escobar went 3 for 4 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Shortstop Angel Cepeda was 3 for 6 with a double. He scored one run and had one RBI.
Third baseman Matt Halbach was 2 for 5 with a walk. He scored once and drove in one.
Right fielder Geuri Lubo went 2 for 6. He had two RBI and scored one run.
Three Pelicans pitchers combined on a two-hit shutout. Noah Edders started and got his first professional win after giving up just one hit over five innings. Edders struck out seven and walked just one.
Edwardo Melendez gave up just one hit over the next three innings. Melendez struck out five and walked just one.
Sam Mettert retired the side in order in the ninth in a non-save situation. Metter struck out one.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy hit a three-run triple as part of a five-run second inning. Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with a walk.
In his first professional game, DH Jhoander Irigoyen was a perfect 3 for 3 with a walk. He scored on Lumpuy’s triple.
Catcher Jose Silva went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI double. He scored one run.
Tarik Skubal delivers for the Detroit Tigers against the Athletics on July 7. Skubal was traded to the Dodgers on Saturday night. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
Your team could have done this.
Is baseball headed for a lockout this winter? Yes.
The Dodgers play a video before each home game, which includes these words from a sinister-sounding voice: “You need teams like us to point your finger and say, ‘That’s the bad guy.’ ”
In this case, “you” means the owners of the other 29 teams. You can hear them wailing now: Baseball is rigged, and only a salary cap can unrig the sport. The Dodgers are the back-to-back champions, and they just picked up the best player on the trade market.
But here’s the thing: All the money the Dodgers lavish upon their major league roster isn’t what made the trade for Skubal possible.
Oh, all that money helped put them in position to where Skubal could help them in October, but Skubal could have helped the Milwaukee Brewers or the Chicago Cubs or the Tampa Bay Rays or the Atlanta Braves or the New York Yankees or the Philadelphia Phillies.
When the Detroit Tigers took bids for Skubal, they liked the Dodgers’ offer the best. And here is what the Dodgers offered: three prospects, none a first-rounder, none ranked among baseball’s top 20 prospects.
Outfielder Zyhir Hope was drafted in the 11th round, by the Cubs. When the Cubs needed a corner infielder, the Dodgers shipped them a surplus major leaguer, Michael Busch, in exchange for two prospects. One was Hope, whose professional experience was limited to 11 games of rookie ball.
Pitcher River Ryan was drafted in the 11th round, by the San Diego Padres. When the Padres needed a left-handed bat that could play the outfield, the Dodgers shipped them a surplus major leaguer, Matt Beaty, for a prospect that had yet to make his professional debut, Ryan.
Pitcher Brady Smith was drafted in the third round, by the Dodgers. This is his second professional season.
The Dodgers developed Hope and Ryan from minor leaguers into top prospects, and the Tigers hope some of that Dodgers development dust has rubbed off on Smith.
Tarik Skubal delivers during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Baltimore Orioles on July 29. (Paul Sancya / Associated Press)
For now? The prospect rankings on the league website put Hope at No. 25 and Ryan at No. 68. The Baseball America prospect rankings put Hope at No. 55, with Ryan outside the top 100. Neither ranking includes Smith among the top 100.
As Baseball America editor-in-chief J.J. Cooper wrote, Hope was the third-best outfielder on the Dodgers’ double-A team.
That might be the greatest testament of all to the Dodgers’ player development system, particularly considering all of their winning means they draft at the end of every round, every year.
Will money come into play here? Yes, but not yet. Skubal is a free agent at the end of the season, and not every team could afford $300 million or $400 million or so to sign him to a long-term contract.
But, for these final months of the season, the cost to pay Skubal is $9 million. Any team can do that. And, if the owner of your team tells you he could not have done that, the proper response would be to laugh, and then chant “Sell the team!”
And, as the Brewers and Cleveland Guardians and Tampa Bay Rays prove just about every year, any team can afford to build an excellent player development system.
Look, I am not going to try to tell you that every team could sign Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts and Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker.
But the New York Mets, in the largest market in the major leagues, certainly could. Their Saturday was not spent trading for Skubal. It was spent taking trade offers for players on their last-place team and commemorating the 40th anniversary of their 1986 World Series championship team — their last championship team.
In Anaheim, the last-place team in the second-largest market in the major leagues lost to the Brewers, the team in the smallest market in the major leagues — and, as of Saturday, the team with the best record in the majors.
Market size need not be destiny, if you can scout and sign and coach and develop players. The owners could learn from that, but it’s easier to point at the Dodgers and say, “That’s the bad guy.”
Instead, some poor league employee probably stayed up late Saturday night, planning how to splice clips of Skubal wearing a Dodgers uniform into the “Level the Playing Field” ad campaign the owners are running to persuade fans to take their side in collective bargaining. Imagine what they could do with clips of Skubal waving to fans in a championship parade.
The Dodgers traded away outfielder Zyhir Hope and a pair of right-handed pitchers — River Ryan and Brady Smith — to bring Skubal to town.
Skubal will arrive in Los Angeles with some momentum after several productive outings for the Tigers.
The Hayward, California, native received a standing ovation after recording his 1,000th career strikeout on July 29. He allowed four hits and three earned runs in that game while striking out six and walking one batter in 6.2 innings pitched in what is now his final game with the Tigers.
When is Tarik Skubal expected to start for Dodgers?
Skubal was tentatively scheduled to take the mound for the Tigers on Wednesday, Aug. 5, on a week of rest.
The Dodgers will be taking on the Cubs at Chicago's Wrigley Field in an afternoon game that day, though it's not inconceivable he could start the Aug. 4 game.
If Skubal starts Aug. 5 and were to remain on a schedule that includes a full week's rest between starts, he could pitch at Dodger Stadium against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Tarik Skubal 2026 stats
Skubal has produced a 7-5 overall record in 16 starts this season. He has a 2.79 ERA and struck out 116 in 96.2 innings pitched. He's allowed 74 hits, 33 runs (30 earned runs) and 10 home runs.
TULSA, OKLAHOMA - APRIL 19: Zyhir Hope #13 of the Tulsa Drillers swings the bat during a game against the Arkansas Travelers at ONEOK Field on April 19, 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Saturday night, just a little before midnight, Jeff Passan of ESPN broke the news that the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers were finalizing a trade for ace left-hander, Tarik Skubal. In return, the Tigers receive 21-year-old corner outfielder, Zyhir Hope, 28-year-old right-hander River Ryan, and 21-year-old right-handed pitcher Brady Smith.
First reaction? This is a pretty good return, but the Dodgers managed to hold back their top couple of prospects. That’s alright, as they were loaded with top 100 prospects, but you can’t call this a fleecing of their system by any means. It’s just a good return in the range we expected. Perhaps if Tarik Skubal had been healthy and dominant all year as usual, the Tigers could’ve held out for a bit more. I would’ve preferred outfielder Mike Sirota instead of Hope, and I would’ve love to land right-handed pitching prospect Christian Zazueta rather than River Ryan or Brady Smith, but we’re splitting hairs to a degree. The Tigers got three talented players here, two of whom are comfortably top 100 caliber talents, with Smith as a fast-rising, but still young, pitching prospect. The main issue overall is that the two pitchers acquired have a lot to prove in terms of durability, and come with significant relief risk.
Let’s take a deeper look at all three players coming back to Detroit.
RHP River Ryan
We’ll start with Ryan, because he’s the one who can potentially help the Tigers this season. The 28-year-old was one of the top pitching prospects in baseball back in 2024, when he blew out his UCL and required Tommy John surgery. Ryan returned in 2026, but suffered a hamstring injury in April that cost him a month. He again injured the right hamstring in late June and is currently on the injured list but expected to return this season.
Ryan’s fourseam fastball averaged 97.6 mph this season with average extension. His best fastball of the year topped out at 100.9 mph. The movement profile looks a bit pedestrian and may need some tweaking, but it’s been better in the past and as he’s just returning from major arm surgery, he might just need some time to dial that back in.
His most used secondary pitch is a power slider at 91-92 mph. He also uses a sinker, cutter, curveball, and will flash a quality changeup as well, though it isn’t consistent. Ryan gets a lot of ground balls, rarely gives up homers at the Triple-A level, and throws plenty of strikes. His walk rates have been consistently solid, although it’s more control than high end command.
The big issue, and the reason this is a particularly risky acquisition, is Ryan’s injury history and minimal pitching experience considering his age. A middle infielder and closer at UNC-Pembroke, the Padres drafted him in the 11th round back in 2021. The Padres scout who signed him came to work for the Dodgers, and convinced them to acquire Ryan in trade, which they quickly did. His development in the Dodgers organization was rapid as he became a notable prospect and a priority for the first time. He was quickly throwing three breaking balls that flashed plus as well as a developing changeup. However, the Dodgers were pretty careful with his in-game workload early on, and Ryan averaged about 100 innings in 2022 and 2023, with very good results. However, as they let him stretch out in his outings in 2024, Ryan had a little shoulder trouble. He made four starts for the Dodgers in 2024 with solid results, but ultimately blew out the UCL and didn’t return until this spring.
So, there’s a ton of upside, but plenty of risk here as well. There are some who think Ryan would be better served as a closer. Others think the starting upside is high enough to stick with it. We’ll see how the Tigers handle him, but Ryan is undeniably quite talented. Were everything to finally break right for him, Ryan has ace potential. There are just way too many question marks to expect that much right now.
OF Zyhir Hope
This 21-year-old, left-handed hitting outfielder has pretty huge secondary tools, but questions about the swing and miss have kept him in the 50 FV tier per most top public evaluators, though others like MLB Pipeline have a 55 FV on him, currently ranking him the 25th best prospect in baseball.
Hope was drafted in the 11th round out of Colonial Forge High School in Virginia by the Chicago Cubs, getting roughly fifth round money to pass on his college commitment to North Carolina. The Dodgers acquired him in a trade for outfielder Michael Busch in the 2023-2024 offseason.
Initially, Hope drew pretty average power grades but he quickly added a lot of muscle and batspeed, and currently draws 65-70 grades for his raw power, essentially double plus or very close to it. He has enough footspeed to play center field, but he profiles better in right field, where his strong left arm was enough to get him scouted as a pitcher as well as an outfielder in high school.
Hope is currently playing his first full season at the Double-A level for the Tulsa Drillers, where he has 23 home runs in 425 plate appearances, with 18 steals, a 10.6 percent walk rate, and a 24.9 percent strikeout rate. While the Texas League can elevate home run totals, the power here is extremely legit, and Hope’s short-levered swing has some natural loft that helps him cash in on his power with a lot of regularity.
His swinging strike rate is a little on the high side, but nothing egregious, and he makes a solid amount of contact. Hope hangs in there pretty well against left-handed pitchers, and his quick hands allow him to square up balls in all parts of the zone. The Tigers will want him to be a little more selectively aggressive as he continues to face tougher pitching, and to develop more of a contact oriented two-strike approach. However, Hope has developed quite rapidly, so the development curve is decisively headed in the right direction.
You could argue for Bryce Rainer, but Hope will draw plenty of consideration as the Tigers new top prospect once Max Clark officially graduates.
RHP Brady Smith
The 21-year-old Smith was the Dodgers third round pick in the 2023 draft out of Grainger HS in Tennessee. He immediately blew out his UCL after the draft, got Tommy John surgery, and didn’t debut until 2025, when he threw 21 innings with some control issues. This season, he dominated Low-A ball with a 37.5 percent strikeout rate with solid but unspectacular walk and home run marks allowed. He was recently promoted to the High-A level.
Currently, Smith’s fastball sits 93-96 mph, topping out at 98 mph with quality riding action. His best pitch is a nasty mid-80’s changeup that draws tons of whiffs in the low minors and will play even better if Smith’s fastball command continues to improve on the track it has this season. The changeup really falls straight off the table, and he tunnels it beautifully off the riding fourseamer.
Smith presents an athletic delivery with a quick arm, which bodes well both for developing command, but also for selling the changeup. He also has some physical projection remaining. His breaking stuff is still more of a work in progress. He has a high 70’s curveball that works well as an occasional strike stealer. His high-80’s slider and low 90’s cutter both flash above average but will need to be more consistent.
There’s a lot to like here. I would’ve preferred Christian Zazueta, partly just for major league proximity as his command is much more advanced, but Smith has frontline starter upside if everything goes well. More likely, he develops into a mid-rotation starter who has the weapons to handle all types of hitter. Until he proves he can hold up to a starter’s workload, there is a good amount of relief risk, but he’s well on his way to dispelling those concerns this season. He wasn’t that highly ranked coming into the season after the Tommy John surgery, but he’s been shooting up national rankings as a result of his performance in 2026.
First take at the overall value of the deal for Detroit
We all have opinions. MLB teams have far more experience and information to go on than the big prospect sites around the internet. My first takeaway here is that the Tigers did fine. At no point did I think Josue de Paula or Eduardo Quintero would be available, and while I hoped for Mike Sirota for a little older prospect with a bit more disciplined game, Hope is at least as talented, and probably more so. It’s just up to the Tigers to develop his approach at the plate and sand some rough edges off his game.
The pitcher I wanted was Christian Zazueta, but Brady Smith really isn’t that far behind in terms of talent level. He’s just more unproven in terms of command and durability, and needs to show that he can handle a starter’s workload over a full season while refining his command. He’s pretty nasty though, and really just getting started with his development this year as he’s made 21 starts and should get to 100 innings for the first time. That’s fine progress for a 21-year-old pitcher drafted from the prep ranks.
River Ryan is the real wild card here, and how much the Tigers can get from him will be a big factor in how this deal is viewed a few years down the road. Ryan is extremely nasty, and while the injury history is scary, he came to pro ball with really minimal experience, so while he’s 28 years old, he actually doesn’t have nearly as much experience as a lot of younger pitchers. We’ll just have to hope he’s a late bloomer. It would be a nice surprise if the Tigers could finally keep him healthy in a starting role. I tend to expect he’ll eventually move to the bullpen, but he seems on track to return in weeks, and will probably slot right into the rotation for now while the club is more careful easing Jackson Jobe back into the swing of major league ball following his own Tommy John rehab.
Ultimately this is a fine return for arguably the best pitcher in baseball’s final months before free agency. Had Skubal had a fully Skubal type year, perhaps the Tigers could’ve squeezed one of the Dodgers big three outfielders instead of Hope, or perhaps the Brewers may have thrown caution to the wind and traded the house for a chance to take down the Dodgers. They may well regret not going all out to match this package of talent, much like the Yankees failure to acquire Justin Verlander in 2017, but Skubal’s medicals may have just made them a little queasy about offering Luis Peña and multiple good pitching prospects. I’m not blown away, but the Tigers future beyond 2026 certainly looks much better with two good arms and a potential monster corner outfielder in Zyhir Hope added to the mix. The Tigers took the package with a little more risk/reward in terms of the pitching talent acquired, and we’ll have to see how that plays out for them over the next few years.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 01: Henry Bolte #33 of the Athletics trots around the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park on August 01, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Athletics took on the Detroit Tigers, looking to even the series and force a rubber game tomorrow afternoon. The A’s succumbed to their fourth straight defeat, 8-6, in another game where they had a chance to win with better pitching.
Perkins Struggles Early
Detroit jumped in front immediately against A’s pitcher Jack Perkins. The first batter of the game, Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle, hit his 11th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field. Three singles brought home the visitors’ second run of the first inning.
A’s Waste Early Opportunities
The A’s attempted to rally in the bottom of the first. Facing Tigers’ starter Framber Valdez, left fielder Tyler Soderstrom and third baseman Tommy White hit back-to-back two-out singles, only for Valdez to retire Lawrence Butler and complete a scoreless first inning.
A’s shortstop Alika Williams led off the bottom of the second with a single and then moved to second after Henry Bolte walked. Valdez escaped a jam for the second consecutive inning, getting a nice assist from his middle infield duo, which turned a nifty double play.
In the third, Jacob Wilson and White hit singles, giving Butler an RBI chance with two on and two out. This time, Butler came through, lining an RBI single to bring home Wilson and cut the Tigers lead in half. Valdez rebounded by striking out Williams to preserve his team’s lead and strand two runners on base.
Meanwhile, Perkins settled down, throwing three straight scoreless innings to keep his team within striking distance.
Seeking to start a game-tying rally, Bolte led off the bottom of the fourth with a ground-rule double to right. The Athletics tied the game with some hustle. First, Jonathan Ornelas beat out a bunt single, and then Wilson beat out the double-play relay throw for an RBI force out, with Bolte scoring to tie the game at two.
Tigers Re-Gain Advantage
The next inning, the Tigers immediately retook the lead, courtesy of second baseman Gleyber Torres’ sixth home run of the year, a two-run shot to right-center against Perkins. After all the work his offense did to tie the game, it was frustrating how quickly Perkins allowed more runs, erasing his team’s momentum in the process.
The home run troubles continued for Perkins in the sixth inning. In his second MLB game, Tigers’ center fielder Max Clark hit his first-career home run, a two-run shot to put the visitors up 6-2.
The A’s starter allowed six runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings.The good of his outing (nine strikeouts) was offset by the bad (three home runs allowed). If Perkins can put it all together and limit the home runs, he can become a good starter. However, his development is clearly still a work in progress.
Tigers In Control
Valdez continued his dominance over the A’s. The left-hander allowed two runs over seven innings, most importantly throwing three scoreless innings after his team regained the lead. He struck out six and used his trademark sinker to generate ten groundouts.
Detroit scored its seventh run in the seventh inning, as first baseman Spencer Torkelson hit an RBI single against A’s reliever Scott Blewett. White should have made that play at third base to end the inning. They made it 8-2 in the eighth, scoring a second run off Blewett for their fourth consecutive inning with a run.
Bolte Blast: A’s Late Comeback Attempt
In the bottom of the eighth, facing Detroit reliever Kyle Finnegan, Bolte collected his third hit of the evening, a three-run home run to center field. His fourth long ball of the season cut the Tigers lead to 8-5. White also got three hits today, an encouraging sign, although the A’s would like to see his power emerge at some point.
Following that big swing, the hosts put two more runners on base, but new reliever Jacob Waguespack prevented the A’s from drawing any closer. Wilson’s aggressive approach hurt his team again, as he struck out chasing a pitch below the strike zone for the second out of that inning.
The Tigers brought in closer Kenley Jansen for the save opportunity, looking to win the game and the series. Soderstrom, who hit a leadoff double, scored the A’s sixth run on Jeff McNeil’s two-out RBI bunt single. That was as close as the A’s got.
Benches clear at the end of tonight's Athletics-Tigers game after Kenley Jansen takes issue with Jeff McNeil's late bunt single pic.twitter.com/QHSHUGSnEN
The Green and Gold finished the game with 15 hits, yet went 5-for-19 with RISP, once again wasting countless opportunities to score runs in a hitter-friendly ballpark. Additionally, the A’s grounded into two more double plays, increasing the total to an MLB-leading 86 twin-killers this season.
The late comeback was not enough as the stretch of unanswered runs the A’s pitching staff allowed proved too much to overcome. The Athletics still have not won a series since their successful week playing at their Triple-A affiliate’s ballpark and will now try to avoid a sweep tomorrow afternoon.
The series and homestand finale’s pitching matchup will match A’s rookie left-hander Gage Jump against Tigers’ right-hander Keider Montero. Hope the A’s can avoid the sweep and at least enjoy a happier flight east, but with the way they have been playing, a Sunday victory is far from guaranteed.
You knew it was going to happen. The Dodgers weren’t going to let Skubal get away, and they certainly weren’t about to face him.
They had the money, and they had the prospects.
All it took was top pitching prospect River Ryan, outfielder Zyhir Hope and starter Brady Smith, and $9.93 million to convince the Detroit Tigers there was no need to delay their decision, and trade Skubal to the Dodgers.
So, go ahead and start the parade route.
The Dodgers are going to three-peat.
You know it. Their rivals know it. And those demanding a salary cap know it.
The Dodgers tried to play coy throughout the process, saying they were just fine without Skubal, and didn’t need him.
Then, they looked in the mirror. Who were they kidding?
They had Yoshinobu Yamamoto and four question marks.
You really think they were going to let the Milwaukee Brewers grab him and team him with Jacob Misiorowski?
Or Atlanta with Chris Sale?
Nope.
They wanted nothing to do with the possibility of facing Skubal. And what's the best way to avoid that? Get him yourself.
Oh, and just to get any suspense out of the way — Skubal will be signing with the Dodgers as a free agent.
Book it.
Everyone in favor of a salary cap will be using this is Exhibit A. Yet, the truth is that the Dodgers grabbed their man simply with prospects.
This had nothing to do with money, but everything to do with the organization's talent.
In return, they’ve all but guaranteed themselves a World Series.
Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, tipped his hand earlier in the week when he said: “There just aren’t many star-level players in the game. Any time one is available, we’re always going to participate in those conversations.'
So the Dodgers did just like that, like they traded for Mookie Betts, signed Freddie Freeman, and signed Ohtani, Snell, Edwin Diaz and Kyle Tucker.
Whoever the Dodgers want, they get.
They will be remembered forever in baseball history, becoming the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series championships.
No one is capable of stopping them.
It may be only Aug. 1, but it might as well be Nov. 1.
The World Series trophy is going to the Dodgers – who have the most money, the most prospects, the most talent and the smartest front office.
Everybody can yell about a salary cap. Bring it all on. The Dodgers don’t care.
Their biggest thought now is clearing space for another World Series championship trophy.
Already the favorites to win a third consecutive World Series title, the Dodgers add the best player available in Skubal, who is a free agent at the end of the season and expected to command the biggest contract ever for a pitcher.
Los Angeles will send right-hander River Ryan, outfielder Zyhir Hope, and righty Brady Smith to Detroit in the deal.
Here’s a look at the trade that shakes up the balance of MLB power in 2026:
Tarik Skubal trade details
Dodgers receive: LHP Tarik Skubal
Tigers receive: RHP River Ryan, OF Zyhir Hope, RHP Brady Smith
Dodgers trade grade: A
Skubal will immediately join World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto and 2026 All-Star Justin Wrobleski in the Dodgers rotation, while Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell each try to make their way back from injury in the weeks to come. Shohei Ohtani also hasn’t pitched in weeks due to a knee issue, so the blockbuster takes a ton of weight off Yamamoto – and the currently sidelined pitchers – as the calendar flips to August.
Tigers trade grade: B
Not an awful return on a deal that had to come together quickly, landing one of the game’s top prospects in Hope. But the Detroit regime will face questions after settling for Ryan − rather than say, Emmet Sheehan, as the MLB-ready pitcher coming back.
This was the best they could do with so much time still left on the clock before Monday's 6 p.m. ET deadline?
When is the 2026 MLB trade deadline?
The MLB trade deadline for the 2026 season is set for Monday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET.
Jul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Max Clark (15) hits a double against the Athletics deighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After Friday night’s easy win with you-know-who making his big-league debut, Saturday night’s contest was a little closer than it should have been. Obviously the bigger news of the evening was regarding a certain other you-know-who on the Tigers, and that will be dissected in-depth for years to come, I assume (cf. the Smoltz/Alexander trade). All I can tell you here, though, is that the Tigers won 8-6 after being ahead by six runs at one point.
Making his twenty-second start for the Tigers this year was Framber Valdez. It’s been A Tale of Two Pitchers lately: it was the best of starts against these same A’s in Detroit on July 9, in which he went seven sensational innings, giving up a single run. It was the worst of starts the game after that on the north side of Chicago on July 21, in which he gave up six runs and only got two outs. Then again, just before the latter he was on the bereavement list for almost a week, so it’s very possible he had something else, much more important than any silly game, on his mind.
Jack Perkins got the start for the (West) Sacramentans. He’s started some, he’s been the “bulk guy” after an opener, he’s done a little of everything, and none of it had gone particularly well for him coming into tonight. He’s in his second year in the big leagues, and he’ll typically strike out a bit more than one batter per inning. He’s a pretty extreme fly-ball pitcher, although he typically limits hard contact.
Well, so much for limiting hard contact: Kevin McGonigle smacked the third pitch of the game into the left-field seats for his eleventh home run of the year.
A trio of singles by Gleyber Torres, Dillon Dingler and Colt Keith pushed another run across the board to put the Tigers up 2-0 at the end of a half-inning. In the bottom half a pair of two-out singles put runners on the corners, but Valdez coaxed a grounder to first out of Lawrence Butler to end the mini-threat.
Torres started a magnificent double play in the second off a 107-mph scorcher of a ground ball. Enjoy.
The A’s got on the board in the bottom of the third; as in the first inning, they had runners on the corners and Butler up to the plate. However, this time Butler hit a solid single into left field to score Jacob Wilson to make it a 2-1 game. Hey, on Friday night it was 2-1 for the Tigers for a while… could this one also turn into an easy Detroit win, too? (Nope.)
Valdez wasn’t as sharp as you’d have wanted him to be; there was plenty of traffic on the basepaths, too. The speedy Henry Bolte hit a ground-rule double to lead off the fourth and moved up to third on a groundout. Jonathan Ornelas bunted back to Valdez, who threw to first but not in time to get Ornelas; somehow Bolte didn’t score on the play, even though he probably could have moonwalked there in time No matter; a not-quite-double-play ball hit by Wilson allowed Bolte to score and tie the game.
Torres un-tied the game in the following half-inning, though: McGonigle singled to lead off the fifth, and Torres smacked his sixth dinger of the year for a 4-2 Tigers lead.
With two outs in the inning Keith nearly had a home run of his own, but his 401-foot (66.8-fathom) drive ended up in Bolte’s glove for the third out.
Spencer Torkelson singled to lead off the sixth. Max Clark followed, and he dug a low sweeper out and parked it over the right-centrefield fence for his first major-league home run.
Clark and McGonigle are, by all accounts, good friends — and they both hit home runs in this game. I hope that’s the first of many such occurrences for these fellows.
The A’s started the bottom of the sixth with a walk and a single to put runners on first and second as the bullpen started to warm up. But Valdez got a shallow flyout and another double-play grounder, and thus got out of trouble.
With two out in the top of the seventh Riley Greene walked, and he took third on pinch-hitter Eduardo Valencia’s single. Torkelson hit a grounder to third that clanked off Tommy White’s wrist; Greene scored from third to make it 7-2.
Given that five-run lead, and how he’d settled down quite nicely since the fifth, Valdez was allowed to carry on into the seventh — and he got the A’s 1-2-3. That was indeed the end of the day for him, and his final line was not too shabby: 7 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K. He got ten groundouts and two flyouts, and that’s what he does when he’s going deep into games.
The Tigers added onto their lead in the eighth after Zack McKinstry doubled with one out, and McGonigle followed with a single to make it 8-2. It was right around that time in the game that multiple reports surfaced online, from reliable sources, that Tarik Skubal had been traded to the Dodgers, and it sounded like someone had deflated Dan Dickerson on the radio broadcast. We have plenty of prospect-experts on staff here at BYB, and I ain’t one of ‘em, so darned if I know if we got fleeced or were the fleecers.
Kyle Finnegan took over for the eighth. It’s been a rough go of it for him lately, and tonight was no exception: with two on and one out, Bolte hit a three-run home run to narrow the score to 8-5. After a four-pitch walk that was it for Finnegan; Jacob Waugespack came in and gave up a single on his second pitch to bring the tying run to the plate with one out. But he got a strikeout and a 3-1 groundout and the lead remained at three runs.
In the top of the ninth the Tigers looked to add some insurance: Valencia singled with one out and Clark did the same with two out, but Javier Báez — stop me if you’ve heard this before — swung and missed for strike three at an outside slider in the dirt.
Kenley Jansen was brought in for the save, and he gave up a leadoff double to Tyler Soderstrom that was nearly a home run. A pitch in the dirt that bounced away from Dingler advanced Soderstrom to third, but Jansen got pinch-hitter Carlos Cortes to strike out for the first out. On a full count, Butler looked at what was initially called ball four on the outside corner, but Dingler’s challenge was successful and the second out was thus recorded. Jeff McNeil surprised everyone by placing a perfect bunt single down the third-base line, scoring Soderstrom and narrowing the gap to 8-6 and bringing up Bolte, the author of a home run a few innings earlier. But Bolte popped up to Greene in left field and that was that… except there were some spicy words exchanged after the third out between Jansen and McNeil. Or maybe they were exchanging chocolate chip cookie recipes, who knows?
Some debut by Max Clark on Friday night, eh? Three hits, two doubles, a walk, and a partridge in a pear tree. And a dinger and a single tonight? Marvellous.
Clark, Kevin McGonigle and the late Billy Bean — nope, not that one, this one — are the only Tigers to have debuted with at least three hits, two of them being for extra bases. I know you know of the first two, but how many of you remember April 25, 1987 against the Royals? (Note courtesy of the always-informative Rogelio Castillo.) Bean, notably, batted leadoff in his debut.
A’s outfielder Tyler Soderstrom’s name reminds me of SodaStream. There’s nothing more to that, just something I’ve been thinking about.
On this day in 1834, slavery was officially abolished in the British Empire. Many former British colonies, especially those in the Caribbean, have celebrated Emancipation Day with carnivals and parades for many decades. That tradition, especially as celebrated in Trinidad, has carried on to what is (usually) called Caribana in Toronto: a huge festival weekend with food, dancing, and of course the spectacular parade with steel-pan bands and elaborate costumes.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 01: Robert Gasser #54 of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 01, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Luiza Moraes/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Brewers didn’t put together another offensive outburst like they did last night, but they managed to pick up their second straight win thanks to another outstanding effort from the pitching staff and some timely hitting. Robert Gasser held the Angels to one run over five innings and Milwaukee’s bullpen allowed just one hit while striking out seven over the final four as the Brewers ground out a 3-1 victory.
Although Milwaukee won, Los Angeles struck first after being held to two runs in yesterday’s game. With one out in the first, Mike Trout singled, and Jorge Soler followed by ripping a two-out RBI double into left field, scoring Trout all the way from first to give Los Angeles an early 1-0 lead. Gasser settled in from there, striking out Nolan Schanuel to end the inning before going on to toss four more scoreless frames. He finished with five innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out six.
Brent Suter got the start for the Angels after José Soriano was scratched amid trade speculation ahead of Monday’s deadline. Suter cruised through the first, but ran into trouble in the second. He recorded two outs sandwiched around a walk to Andrew Vaughn before issuing back-to-back walks to Garrett Mitchell and Cooper Pratt to load the bases. Next up was Joey Ortiz with a chance to put Milwaukee in front, but he grounded into a force out at third to end the inning.
Suter’s night ended after two innings, with Brett Kerry taking over in the third. Kerry escaped that inning despite allowing a double to William Contreras, but Jake Bauers led off the fourth by launching a solo homer to right-center field. The blast, Bauers’ 20th of the season, tied the game at 1-1.
Chad Patrick took over for Gasser to begin the sixth and completely shut down the Angels, allowing just one hit while striking out five over two dominant innings. Ortiz struck out to open the eighth, but Jackson Chourio followed with a double to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Brice Turang then battled back from an 0-2 count before looping a soft liner into center that dropped just in front of a charging Trout, allowing Chourio to score and give Milwaukee its first lead of the night.
The Brewers added an insurance run in the ninth after Mitchell drew a one-out walk and stole second, then Pratt followed with a single through the middle to bring him home. In the bottom of the ninth, Trevor Megill needed just three batters to finish off the Angels, securing Milwaukee’s second straight win. At 69-41, the Brewers once again own the best record in baseball, moving a half-game ahead of the Dodgers. A victory tomorrow would make Milwaukee the first team to reach 70 wins, at least until the Dodgers and Red Sox play later in the day.
The Brewers will go for the series sweep tomorrow afternoon behind NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski. He’ll face Walbert Ureña (6-7, 2.70 ERA) in the series finale, with first pitch scheduled for 2:15 p.m.
Skubal had been linked to the two-time defending champions since December.
The Dodgers sent outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-handed pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to the Tigers in the trade, a baseball official confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
The baseball official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal is not yet official.
Los Angeles will have Skubal for the rest of the season. He is set to be an unrestricted free agent, though the Dodgers stand an excellent chance to re-sign the star.
Here’s how the baseball world reacted to the news about the Dodgers trading for Skubal:
Reactions as Dodgers acquire Tarik Skubal from Tigers
Skubal joins a pitching rotation that features Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow
Yamamoto reacted to the Dodgers trading for Skubal on Saturday night:
"I was hearing some rumors about that, but then it actually happened. I'm pretty surprised."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (L (11-7), 8.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K, 96 P) talks with the media on the #Dodgers reportedly acquiring back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal via trade… pic.twitter.com/SQWWCD40Wn
With the addition of Skubal to the roster, the Dodgers are now projected to have a $430 million luxury tax payroll for this season. It will lead to a $180 million tax bill at the end of the season, according to Spotrac.
#MLB TRADE#Dodgers Acquire SP Tarik Skubal 2026: $9.5M* 2027: UFA#Tigers Acquire OF Zyhir Hope (#5) RHP River Ryan (#7) RHP Brady Smith (#17)
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves acquired outfielder Lane Thomas and minor league left-hander Bailey Falter from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two minor league pitchers on Saturday.
Thomas, 30, is slashing .230/.325/.392 in 96 games with the Royals this year. He has played mostly center field in Kansas City, but will move over to left field in Atlanta and likely platoon with Mike Yastrzemski. Thomas is a career .288 hitter against left-handed pitching.
“The plan is not the exact same role he had in Kansas City, where he was playing every day in center,” Braves President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “His strength is hitting left-handers. Great in the clubhouse, and just excited to add him and make our team stronger.”
Thomas’ best season came in 2023 with Washington when he had 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. He will join the Braves on Tuesday for the first of a three-game series against Miami.
Falter will report to Triple-A Gwinnett, according to Anthopoulos. He has spent the majority of this season with Triple-A Omaha, pitching just 9 2/3 innings with the Royals.
The Braves sent RHP Lucas Braun and LHP Carter Holton to the Royals. Braun was a 2023 sixth-round draft pick by the Braves and reached Triple-A Gwinnett, where he was 5-2 with a 3.92 ERA this season. Holton was a 2024 second-rounder who made six starts for Single-A Augusta this season.
On the move: Pitcher Luis Castillo is heading to the South Side. | Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images
On Saturday evening, Jeff Passan broke the news that the White Sox (58-52) have acquired starting pitcher Luis Castillo from the Mariners (54-58). In exchange, Seattle received reliever Seranthony Domínguez, Triple-A outfielder Nolan Jones and Double-A catcher Boston Smith.
Castillo, 33, is set to join the starting rotation on the South Side. In 2026, Castillo has posted a 5.06 ERA and a 4.57 FIP in 99 2/3 innings. It has been a down year for Castillo, who has only accumulated 0.6 fWAR this season, and a staggeringly bad -0.7 bWAR. Overall, Castillo has put together an impressive career, posting a 3.65 ERA, a 3.78 FIP, and 27.0 fWAR across 10 seasons. The righthander is a three-time All-Star who finished fifth in the American League Cy Young race in 2023.
Castillo’s numbers have declined significantly since last year (3.54 ERA, 3.88 FIP, 2.6 fWAR in 180 2/3 innings). This decline is noticeable, and the White Sox are aware that they are not acquiring the type of player that Castillo previously was. Castillo’s fastball still has plenty of legs (95.3 mph on average, 64th percentile, slightly up from 2025). However, the effectiveness of his breaking balls has declined sharply. Castillo’s primary breaking ball and his second-most common pitch is his slider, which held opposing hitters to a measly .271 wOBA in 2025. By contrast, in 2026, batters have a .352 wOBA against it, a sizable increase. Repairing that slider is probably task No. 1 with regard to getting Castillo closer to his 2017-25 self.
Castillo is being paid $24.15 million in 2026, and he is under team control through 2027, when he will earn the same salary. Most likely, Castillo will become a free agent at the end of the 2027 season. If Castillo pitches 180 innings in 2027, an option for 2028 will vest, and he will earn $25 million, but the White Sox would likely steer away from allowing that option to vest.
Domínguez, 31, is the only active major leaguer going to the Mariners in this trade. Domínguez has posted a 3.99 ERA and a 4.64 FIP in 38 1/3 innings as a reliever on the South Side this year. Prior to this season, the White Sox signed him to a two-year, $20 million contract. Entering the season, Domínguez was expected to be the team’s closer, or at least a high-leverage reliever, but he has not lived up to those expectations.
Jones, 28, has posted a .247/.336/.396 (95 wRC+) slash line with 2.7 fWAR across four MLB seasons. Despite signing a $2 million contract before the season, Jones has played all of 2026 in Triple-A, where his slash line has been .257/.362/.445 (107 wRC+). Jones was quite good in 2023, when he accumulated an impressive total of 3.8 fWAR, but beyond that he has not accomplished much worth speaking of at the MLB level.
Smith, 23, is a potentially spicy prospect who has been tearing it up this season. On paper, Smith is the hardest piece to lose among the players leaving the White Sox organization. Across 78 games (eight with Single-A Kannapolis, 48 with High-A Winston-Salem, and 22 with Double-A Birmingham), Smith has slashed .291/.448/.589, as pitchers have not had many answers for him. The White Sox have had trouble at the catcher position all season, and Smith is a backstop who has been raking left and right. Prior to the trade, Smith had earned the No. 15 spot on MLB Pipeline’s White Sox prospect rankings. The White Sox traded Curtis Mead for Smith in March, and Smith was hardly on anyone’s radar at that point. However, given his timeline, he was very unlikely to contribute in the majors this season.
Ultimately, Domínguez did not lock down a primary setup or closer role in the White Sox bullpen, and Jones is not looking like a long-term solution in the majors. As a result, this trade boils down to an exchange of a potentially spicy prospect in Smith for a veteran pitcher slightly past his prime who carries a sizable contract through 2027. If Castillo’s numbers get closer to how they were from 2017-25, this trade will be perfectly fine. The key issue is whether Castillo still has enough baseball left to be a significant piece of a playoff contender.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 01: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the third inning at Dodger Stadium on August 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Recap
On the third pitch of the game, Ceddanne Rafaela homered and the Sox were off and running. Yippee! 1-0.
Then in the second, Payton Tolle gave up a homer that scored two. Ouch! He then proceeded to load the bases. Yikes! It was a nerve-wracking inning, though a ball that would have likely scored two runs ended up landing just foul, bouncing right over the line in front of Wilyer Abreu. The old July luck was clearly still with the Sox because Tolle managed to get out of the inning with only those two early runs. It felt like an August miracle. Dodgers 2-1.
Rafaela repeated with another homer to left field in the third inning, tying it up, 2-2.
Although Tolle struggled early, he settled down after that rough second inning, at one point striking out four in a row across the fourth and fifth innings. He finished with 9 H, 2 ER, 2 BB and 7K, not his best game by any means, but pretty darn impressive anyway, with how he turned things around. It looked like it would be a short outing, but he ground it out, didn’t have any further issues, and turned it over to the bullpen after six full innings. The bullpen was spot-on, giving the offense (other than Rafaela) a chance to show up.
By the bottom of the sixth inning, the Dodgers had out-hit the Sox 9-2. The Sox held there until a ground-rule double by Andruw Monasterio in the eighth. He was followed by Jarren Duran who bunted to put men on the corners. Connor Wong then grounded into a double play – but the good kind, the kind that allows the runner to score from third. Hooray for small ball! Sox took the lead 3-2.
It held there as the Sox won their eighth consecutive series. Everybody showed up. Great win.
Studs
Ceddanne Rafaela
Two carbon-copy home runs early? Nuff ‘Cedd.
Defense
With special mention to Wilyer Abreu, who was particularly busy in right field. His night was highlighted by two put-outs at second when the runners either overlooked or challenged his arm.
The defense was tight and smooth, with two sweet double plays. Connor Wong had a successful ABS challenge that resulted in a ninth-inning strikeout of the dangerous Max Muncy. Everyone was on point.
Bullpen
You couldn’t ask for more. Justin Slaten got the Dodgers 1-2-3 in the seventh, on just 8 pitches. He continues his run of excellence. Tyron Guerrero pitched an inning and did his job, giving up just one hit. Aroldis Chapman came on for the save and it was glorious.
Duds? Not really.
Masataka Yoshida didn’t have a hit, and as DH, he wasn’t involved in any defensive magic (as some other hitless players were). But my complaints are few; these things happen.
Play of the Game
Should it be Rafaela’s first or second homer? Take your pick, I’ll go with #2. Two beautiful swings and a typically smiley post-game interview. Love it.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JULY 28: Josh Rojas #40 of the Kansas City Royals slides into third base on a single by teammate Lane Thomas #15 in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on July 28, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Royals 3-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Well the Braves made their first of likely a handful of notable trades this trade deadline, trading two fringey pitching prospects for Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter from the Royals. Thomas will fit the role of a platoon outfielder and pinch hitter who can hit lefty pitching well and be a plus baserunner as needed. He should have a fairly concrete, if limited role. Falter is a more interesting case, as he has at times been a serviceable fifth starter at the major league level. What makes Falter so interesting to me is that he has what should be a really premium fastball, even sitting in the low 90s, with over 18 inches of induced vertical break and 97th percentile extension coming from the left side. The problem for him has been that he hasn’t been able to develop a remotely respectable second pitch, let alone a third or fourth pitch. That said, that fastball is one heck of a starting point and is the type of pitch that could make him an interesting option out of the bullpen very easily, especially if the Braves can work with him to find any sort of second pitch that can work at the major league level.
It’s over. The Dodgers just stole it all again, three months early but right on time, their third consecutive championship cemented when they traded for the Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, the two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner and quite simply the best pitcher in baseball.
Everybody wanted him. The Dodgers were the only team with enough assets to get him. Of course they were. They always are.
And in return, they surely will win a third consecutive championship against a withering and overmatched group of pretenders that could add Skubal only in their dreams.
He cost the Dodgers top prospects Zyhir Hope, River Ryan and Brady Smith. So? The Dodgers have tons of them.
He could be a free agent this winter and may cost $400 million to retain. So? The Dodgers have that much in their couch cushions.
The Dodgers’ injury-scarred rotation needed a stud starting pitcher like Skubal and, as this column noted last month, there was no excuse for baseball’s wealthiest and smartest team not to grab him.
So the Dodgers grabbed him. Of course they did. They are rushing full bore toward that three-peat and, to the delight of the most appreciative fans in baseball, nothing is going to get in their way.
The rest of baseball will hate them for this. They don’t care. Critics will say this is yet another example of how they are ruining the game. They could give a rip.
A move like this — the insanely rich getting insanely richer — could be cited this winter as a reason for the game shutting down over a labor dispute. Not their problem.
With a sore Shohei Ohtani looking increasingly doubtful for a meaningful October on the mound, with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow still sidelined because of injuries, Skubal can slide into the No. 2 spot in a rotation that, if everyone gets healthy, could wind up being the best in baseball history.
Tarik Skubal was a two-time Cy Young winner for the Detroit Tigers. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
There are still questions, even for a team that has all the answers.
Skubal is a tremendous postseason pitcher, with a 2.04 ERA in six starts, but will his surgically repaired left elbow survive through his third postseason?
After pushing 200 innings the last two seasons, he underwent a newfangled minimally invasive procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body from his elbow. Recovery time for a similar surgery performed the old-fashioned way is two to three months, but he was back on the mound in a game just a month later.
Will this new operation hold up? Time will tell, but the Dodgers will be holding their breath.
After Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Skubal, the Dodgers have another potentially big question. What do they do about Ohtani?
He’s got a balky knee, and now a painful biceps, and the Dodgers have kept him off the mound for a moment, but what happens in October?
By acquiring Skubal, the Dodgers can afford to pull Ohtani out of the rotation altogether and allow him to focus on hitting, which has taken a bit of a hit with the pitching issues. But would he accept such a move, which might feel like a demotion? Ohtani always has put winning first, but he also began the season openly acknowledging his quest for a Cy Young Award. So there’s that.
Rounding out the rotation, the Dodgers still will need some good fortune to round out the rotation.
Tarik Skubal returned to the mound in June after surgery to address an elbow issue. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
They say Snell and Glasnow are both on the verge of returning from what has essentially been season-long injuries. But they’ll both be 33 in October, so believe only what you see.
Roki Sasaki has been tremendous since the All-Star break — that new glove has been a giant success — but he’s still never started a postseason game. And for all his surprise greatness this summer, Justin Wrobleski also has yet to start a postseason game.
It all could get interesting. But it shouldn’t be suspenseful.
Skubal solves all mysteries. Skubal ends all arguments. Skubal saves the summer.
The Dodgers are the most championship-driven and fan-devoted team in all of sports. They will do whatever it takes, however it takes, whenever it takes, to win.
