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The Dodgers aren’t just the favorites to land Tarik Skubal before the August 3 trade deadline — they might be his preferred long-term destination too. Per DodgerBlue.com, the Dodgers are considered Skubal’s “first preference” in free agency, which adds a significant wrinkle to what’s already shaping up as the biggest trade deadline deal in recent memory. If Skubal views Los Angeles as where he wants to be beyond this season, that dramatically increases the chances of a trade getting done and an extension following shortly after.

Skubal has established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. The left-hander won the American League Cy Young Award in 2024, posting a 2.39 ERA with 228 strikeouts across 192 innings for the Tigers. He was the engine behind Detroit’s surprising postseason run that year. Since then, he’s continued to pitch at an elite level, cementing his status as exactly the kind of front-line starter contending teams covet at the deadline. He’s 28 years old and entering the prime of his career — the type of arm that can anchor a rotation for years.

The “first preference” detail matters because it signals this wouldn’t just be a rental acquisition for the Dodgers. We’ve seen this front office operate this way before — acquire a star, then lock him up long-term. That’s the playbook with the resources to back it up. If Skubal genuinely wants to be here, the Dodgers can structure a trade knowing they’re not just getting two months of a pitcher but potentially the next five or six years.

The Tigers appear increasingly likely to move Skubal before the deadline, and the Dodgers’ deep farm system makes them the most viable trade partner. We’ve heard from multiple reporters over the past few days that this deal feels like it’s trending toward happening. Andrew Friedman has all but confirmed the pursuit publicly, which is unusual for a front office that typically plays things close to the vest. That tells you how seriously they’re taking this.

For a team that lost Shohei Ohtani on the mound to a biceps injury on top of his knee issues, and is still waiting on Tyler Glasnow to return from his rehab process, adding Skubal would be transformative. It would give the Dodgers the ace-caliber starter they need for October and, if an extension follows, a long-term rotation anchor alongside Glasnow and (eventually) Ohtani. The prospect cost will be steep — probably the steepest package this front office has ever assembled — but if Skubal wants to be a Dodger, that changes the calculus for everyone involved. This is the one to watch over the next four days.

Source(s): Staff (DodgerBlue.com) | First reported: July 30, 2026 6:26 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers