Tarik Skubal is the talk of the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando. The Detroit Tigers have a decision to make as Skubal enters free agency after the 2026 season. There have been rumors suggesting the Los Angeles Dodgers could be closing in on a trade for Skubal; however, those rumors have been shut down.
The “Skubal to Dodgers” rumors at the Winter Meetings are all smoke and “not real,” as reported by FanSided’s Robert Murray on The Baseball Insiders. As of now, it doesn’t appear that Skubal will be traded from Detroit, but if an offer blows away the organization, it could entice them to pull the trigger.
The Tigers want to keep Skubal and pursue a trip to the 2026 World Series, but more needs to be done. If Detroit keeps the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner, it needs to make moves to maximize the 2026 season. If not, the Tigers would be better off trading Skubal to maximize his value.
Skubal would demand a very, very big trade package, and unless a team is willing to meet Detroit’s demands, it doesn’t seem likely to happen this winter. The Tigers need to pick a lane on Skubal, but for now, the rumors of a trade to the Dodgers don’t seem to have any legs.
