Dodgers Bolster Rotation With Trade For Tigers Ace Tarik Skubal

Dodgers acquire Tarik Skubal from Tigers in blockbuster trade  

With a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts this season, Tarik Skubal joins the Dodgers as LA pushes for another World Series. Detroit gets 3 prospects back.

Dodgers get Skubal, Tigers get Hope in big trade...

The Los Angeles Dodgers are landing Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in a blockbuster trade, per multiple reports.

Headed to Detroit in return are outfielder Zyhir Hope MLB’s No. 25 overall prospect plus Triple-A right-hander River Ryan and Single-A pitcher Brady Smith.

Skubal, 29, is a two-time reigning AL Cy Young winner. This year he’s 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 96.2 innings, while holding opponents to a .210 batting average.

He made his final start for Detroit on Wednesday against Baltimore. In 6.2 innings he allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, with 6 strikeouts and 1 walk.

After spending 2021 and 2022 as a full-time starter, Skubal broke out into an elite arm. He hasn’t posted an ERA above 3.00 in any of the last four seasons, including 2025. In 2024 he paced all of MLB with 18 wins and 228 strikeouts.

Dodgers reportedly acquire LHP Tarik Skubal from the Tigers, per multiple reports including MLB's @Feinsand.

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That year he also set a personal best with a 2.21 ERA. Among starters he led MLB in WHIP at 0.891, walks per nine at 1.5, and K/BB ratio at 7.30. He finished with 241 strikeouts, just 33 walks and 141 hits allowed across 195.1 innings.

 

Skubal most recently fanned a season-high 12 in a 2-1 win over Kansas City. Detroit sits near the bottom of the AL Central at 52-58.

Hope, 21, is having a breakout year in Double-A. He’s hitting .293 with a .369 OBP and .530 SLG, adding career-bests of 23 homers, 87 RBI and 18 steals.

What Detroit Gets: River Ryan

Ryan, 27, has just 4 MLB appearances all with the Dodgers in 2024 where he allowed 3 runs over 20.1 innings with 18 Ks and 9 BBs. He missed all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. This year in Triple-A he’s posted a 4.46 ERA across 8 outings.

Smith, 21, is currently at Single-A with a 4.36 ERA this season. He’s struggled in his High-A stint, carrying a 7.71 ERA there.