Dodgers acquire Cy Young winner Skubal from Tigers

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers late Saturday night, according to ESPN's reporting. The Dodgers sent outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-hander River Ryan, and right-hander Brady Smith to Detroit in return.

Skubal, a 29-year-old left-hander, will become a free agent in the offseason. The Dodgers landed the summer trade market's largest prize to reinforce a rotation that, through Friday, had allowed just 411 runs, the fewest in baseball, according to ESPN.

The Dodgers faced competition from the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and Tampa Bay Rays for Skubal's services. Los Angeles held a plus-155 run differential and sat 69-41 headed into Saturday night's game against the Boston Red Sox, per ESPN.

Skubal is 7-5 with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts this season, according to ESPN. He returned from midseason bone chip surgery in record time and has reached the 1,000-strikeout milestone in his career, currently sitting at 1,005. His fastball has topped 99.9 mph, and his arsenal includes a four-seam fastball that runs 95 to 98 mph, one of the best changeups in the league, and a sinker, slider, and slurve that are all above average to plus, with plus command, per ESPN's reporting.

Skubal is a two-time All-Star and led the Tigers to consecutive playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025, though Detroit failed to advance past the division series in both seasons. Over his career, all with Detroit, Skubal is 61-42 across 150 starts and three relief appearances, according to ESPN.

Skubal won a record salary arbitration case in February, securing a $32 million deal this season, far exceeding the Tigers' $19 million offer. He is in the fourth year of a five-year contract and played for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic this spring, appearing in one game.