The Dodgers already have Yoshinobu Yamamoto. They have Blake Snell. They have Shohei Ohtani transitioning back to two-way duty. They have Roki Sasaki. They just won back-to-back World Series titles.
Now they want Tarik Skubal too.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Tigers engaged in serious trade discussions at the Winter Meetings, and Detroit was "intrigued" by the Dodgers' potential prospect package. ESPN's Jorge Castillo called a Skubal trade "likely"—not possible, not being discussed, likely.
This isn't just offseason noise. This is the defending champions trying to assemble the most dominant rotation in modern baseball history.
Skubal won back-to-back American League Cy Young Awards. His 2.21 ERA led the AL in 2025. His 0.891 WHIP led all of MLB. He struck out 241 batters and finished fifth in MVP voting. He's 27 years old with one year of team control remaining before free agency, where he's expected to command north of $400 million.
The Tigers know what they have. They also know they probably can't afford to keep him.
"I've been pretty clear since I've been here: I don't believe in untouchables at any level," Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters. "It's not a commentary on Tarik specifically, but sort of a blanket team-building approach."
Translation: everyone has a price.
MLB insider Jim Bowden floated a hypothetical package: Tyler Glasnow, Emmet Sheehan, and top prospect Zyhir Hope heading to Detroit. That's a former All-Star with three years of club control, a promising young arm, and a Top-100 prospect. It's a substantial return.
But here's the twist: Glasnow himself hopes the Dodgers make the move.
"I think it would be sick if we went out and got him," Glasnow said on MLB Network Radio. "He's probably one of the most unbelievable pitchers I've ever seen. And I've just heard such good things about him too."
Andrew Friedman has reportedly reassured Glasnow that he's not going anywhere. But front offices say a lot of things before blockbuster trades happen. And the Dodgers have the financial power, the prospect depth, the urgency, and the boldness to pull off a Soto-caliber package.
Detroit reportedly wants something comparable to what the Nationals received from the Padres for Juan Soto in 2022—a haul that included C.J. Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, and Robert Hassell III.
Nightengale predicted Skubal stays put. His reasoning: no team will strip their farm system for one year of a pitcher who might walk in free agency anyway.
But the Dodgers aren't "no team." They're the most aggressive organization in baseball, backed by ownership that treats luxury tax penalties as a cost of doing business. If anyone is willing to pay the price, it's them.
The Tiger fan base is melting down at the mere thought of losing their ace while trying to compete. The logic makes sense emotionally—Skubal is the best pitcher the franchise has developed since Justin Verlander. But it might make too much sense logically for a front office staring down a potential $400 million walk.
Jared Carrabis summed up the sentiment from the rest of baseball: "If the Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal, we should just start the lockout now and we'll see you in 2028."
He's joking. Mostly.
The Dodgers aren't done this winter. Whether they land Skubal or settle for another move entirely, Andrew Friedman has made one thing clear: the dynasty window isn't just open.
It's being kicked off its hinges.