Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is one of the few players who could actually elevate the Dodgers’ roster at the trade deadline. And the Dodgers are one of the few teams that could reasonably part with the prospect capital it would take to acquire the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner.
That doesn’t mean it will come to fruition.
With a week to go before the MLB trade deadline on Aug. 3, the Dodgers don’t appear to be moving toward a trade for Skubal, according to people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly. And it’s unclear whether the Tigers will indeed trade him; rival executives’ expectations appear to be inconsistent.
The Dodgers can never be fully counted out for a big swing, of course. They weren’t expected to sign closer Edwin Díaz or right fielder Kyle Tucker during the offseason, either.
But having a strong farm system supplements big spending. And part of the reasoning behind those indulgent offseason moves was to make a big trade-deadline move unnecessary. So, barring a significant shift either in rotation health or in the market, don’t count on Skubal joining the Dodgers in their quest for a three-peat.
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The Dodgers have shown a willingness in the past to give up top prospects for starting pitching when they see a need. Look no further than 2024, when they pursued then-White Sox ace Garrett Crochet before pivoting to a different Tigers starter, Jack Flaherty, who they acquired for catcher Thayron Liranzo and shortstop Trey Sweeney — top-25 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
Between the Dodgers’ position in the standings, and the amount of talent they expect coming off the injured list, however, they don’t need to add Skubal to still be widely considered World Series favorites.
Despite injuries to key players, the Dodgers (67-39) have the best record in the majors and a 12-game lead in the National League West entering Monday.
The signings of Díaz and Tucker haven’t gone as the Dodgers pictured. Neither elevated the team in the first half. Díaz was hurt for most of it, and Tucker has had an underwhelming offensive season.
But when Díaz (loose body elbow surgery) returns from the injured list — manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers plan to reinstate Díaz on Wednesday — and if Tucker can break out offensively, as he showed signs of over the weekend, they could essentially function as major trade-deadline additions.
The same goes for utility player Kiké Hernández and starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. Hernández (strained left oblique) is expected to return from the IL on Tuesday. Snell (elbow surgery) is scheduled to make at least one more rehab start this coming week. And Glasnow (back spasms) is in the live batting practice phase of his build-up.
So, off the IL alone, the Dodgers are expecting to add two well-established starters, a closer, and a versatile position player in the second half.
“Nice trade deadline huh?” Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman joked Sunday.
Shohei Ohtani’s lingering left knee problem, which is holding him out of the rotation even after he received an Orthovisc injection to lubricate the joint going into the All-Star break, doesn’t change the team’s trade deadline calculus, according to people with knowledge of the matter not authorized to speak publicly.
Roberts all but confirmed as much Sunday.
“I don’t think so,” Roberts said when asked if his view of the team’s deadline pitching needs has changed. “I really don’t. We expect him to be pitching. ... So I don’t think that our approach to the deadline has changed given these last three weeks with Shohei.”
The Dodgers’ MLB-leading payroll (estimated by Roster Resource to be $397 million) draws a lot of attention. But their commitment to player development has helped extend their run of postseason success. The Mets (44-62), No. 2 in payroll ($366 million) are proof that big spending doesn’t guarantee winning.
The Dodgers will weigh the upside of adding someone such as Skubal — even better World Series odds, not having to face him in the postseason, etc. — against the blow to their young talent pool. Though the Dodgers do have an excess of prospect talent, especially in the outfield, the Tigers aren’t going to settle for anything short of a robust return.
If the Dodgers don’t trade for Skubal, what will they do?
Most likely, the Dodgers’ deadline moves will be around the periphery. They approached last year’s deadline similarly, when they traded for reliever Brock Stewart and outfielder Alex Call. This year, the Dodgers have even fewer obvious needs.
To borrow a favorite buzz word of executives across baseball, they’ll be opportunistic, as they look for ways to solidify the roster for the stretch run and into the playoffs. And if they see a way to upgrade their roster for future years without hurting their 2026 championship odds, they would be open to taking it, according to people with knowledge of the team’s stance not authorized to speak publicly.
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The Dodgers’ catching depth, with Will Smith still sidelined with a lingering neck injury, is the most obvious roster soft spot. But the Dodgers are comfortable with backup catcher Dalton Rushing taking the bulk of the innings until Smith returns.
Smith’s recent recovery progress, since shutting down baseball activities and receiving an injection to address the discomfort and inflammation, has been encouraging enough for the team to feel confident in his return.
Still, the Dodgers could benefit from at least another third-string option at the physically and mentally demanding position.
If this all sounds boring compared to adding Skubal to a rotation that’s full of star power when healthy, that’s by design. For perennial postseason contenders, a splashy offseason ideally sets up a low-key trade deadline.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
