The Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest move of baseball’s trade deadline by acquiring two-time reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers, adding one of the sport’s premier pitchers as they pursue a third consecutive World Series title. The deal, finalized Sunday, sends right-hander River Ryan, outfield prospect Zyhir Hope and pitching prospect Brady Smith to Detroit in exchange for the left-handed ace.
Skubal, 29, joins an already formidable Dodgers rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell, giving Los Angeles another frontline starter for the stretch run. The left-hander is 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts this season after returning from an early-season injury. He is eligible for free agency following the 2026 campaign, making him the most coveted player available before the trade deadline.
Speaking after the trade, Skubal acknowledged the emotional difficulty of leaving the only major league organization he had known, saying, “This isn’t what I planned.” Drafted and developed by Detroit, he emerged as one of baseball’s elite pitchers, winning consecutive AL Cy Young Awards while compiling a career 61-42 record and a 3.04 ERA. Despite his desire to help the Tigers contend, Detroit opted to capitalize on his trade value rather than risk losing him in free agency after the season.
For the Dodgers, the acquisition reinforces an already star-studded roster led by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman while signaling another aggressive push toward a championship. Detroit, meanwhile, receives three highly regarded young players as it reshapes its future, including Hope, one of the Dodgers’ top outfield prospects, and Ryan, who has MLB experience. The blockbuster stands as one of the most significant deadline deals in recent years and dramatically reshapes the postseason outlook across Major League Baseball.
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