The Tarik Skubal sweepstakes is the biggest storyline of the offseason besides the collective bargaining agreement, and conversations between teams and Skubal have already begun, per MLB insider Jon Morosi.
"One of the teams that has already shown interest in Tarik Skubal: the San Diego Padres," Morosi said on MLB Network. "Perhaps a little surprising. Many in the industry have seen this as principally a two-horse race between the (Los Angeles) Dodgers and (New York) Mets.”
Skubal has won two Cy Young Awards and would be a great addition to a Padres rotation in desperate need of some help. With Michael King, Nick Pivetta, Robbie Ray and Casey Mize all on the open market, Skubal would be a welcome addition.
The Padres have no shortage of star players, and stealing Skubal from the Dodgers would only add to their fierce rivalry.
"The Padres under new ownership want to make a splash," said Morosi. "They know well what Skubal can do. They saw this with their closest geographic rival in the division, the Dodgers, over the second half."
Skubal would be a perfect fit for the Padres. They are a team looking to win the World Series, are on the West Coast, where Skubal reportedly prefers to stay, and have a desperate need in the rotation.