The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be in on the sweepstakes for Tarik Skubal in the coming days.
The Dodgers are already being viewed as favorites to land the two-time Cy Young Award winner, according to Jeff Passan, but they may have just gotten another reason to go get him.
"Or the Dodgers could grab Skubal, knowing that they are considered his first preference, anyway, when he becomes a free agent," wrote USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "That would not only give them a lethal October rotation, but keep him away from the competition."
The biggest concern for most teams trying to get Skubal will be the fact that he will cost a ton, and then likely leave them in free agency. The Milwaukee Brewers for sure would have no chance to keep him. The Atlanta Braves may be in the same boat. However, the Dodgers may not have to worry about that if he wants to be there anyway.
Why wouldn't Skubal want to be with the Dodgers? The organization is committed to winning and has a storied history. If Skubal really wants to be in Los Angeles, he may even be more open to taking one of the Dodgers' famous deferred deals. Unlike other teams, the Dodgers may not have to sweat giving up prized prospects for a couple months of Skubal. They could actually end up getting him for years. It's clear that they are not scared to spend money for stars, so paying him won't be an issue.
The Dodgers don't need Skubal to win the World Series. They already have Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani, Justin Wrobleski and Tyler Glasnow. However, they may need to make sure he does not end up in Milwaukee with Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison.