A new chapter is looming for Tarik Skubal. Following a turbulent half-season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-time All-Star left-hander is firmly on the radar of both New York powerhouses (Yankees and Mets), while the San Diego Padres have emerged as an intriguing dark-horse suitor.
According to MLB insider Robert Murray on The Baseball Insiders podcast, the Padres could be primed to make an aggressive splash following the arrival of a new ownership group. “That new ownership group got a taste of what winning was like… I could see, very easily, the San Diego Padres exploring Skubal,” Murray noted.
While the Dodgers‘ NL West rivals could theoretically find the payroll muscle under their new leadership, any serious pursuit must account for Skubal’s historic asking price.
As the reported consensus crown jewel of the starting pitching market, and the Yankees reportedly set to weigh in on Skubal in the offseason, he is slated to command one of the richest bidding wars in recent baseball history. With Skubal biding his time as the winter market materializes, the entire league is waiting to see where the reigning ace will anchor a rotation come 2027.
Tarik Skubal #29 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts.
Would the Padres, Yankees, or Mets have what it takes to sign Skubal?
The Padres simply lack the realistic financial flexibility to commit $35 million to $45-plus million annually to Skubal. With massive, long-term pacts already guaranteed to Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts, San Diego’s front office has spent recent cycles prioritizing payroll discipline and ducking luxury-tax penalties rather than taking on record-setting pitching commitments.
The Yankees certainly possess the financial muscle to enter the fray, but competitive-balance tax thresholds and prior roster allocations complicate the calculus. With Gerrit Cole already anchoring the staff on a heavyweight deal and Hal Steinbrenner maintaining caution regarding upper-tier luxury surcharges, New York would likely dive in only if ownership is prepared to double down on an unprecedented top-of-the-market rotation payroll.
The Mets remain the most logical front-runner of the group. Armed with Steve Cohen’s proven appetite for market-setting AAV, substantial dead money clearing the payroll ledger, and an urgent mandate to secure an authentic rotation centerpiece, New York boasts both the organizational motivation and the raw financial firepower to outbid the field for Skubal.
Key takeaways
- Tarik Skubal reportedly emerged on the radar of the Padres, Yankees, and Mets.
- Robert Murray reported the Padres could explore signing Tarik Skubal under new ownership.
- The Padres lack financial flexibility to commit $35 million to $45-plus million annually.
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Which team is more likely to sign Skubal next season?
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