The Los Angeles Dodgers have lost their place among the two most likely destinations for free-agent left-hander Tarik Skubal, according to odds published by MLB insider Jon Heyman in the New York Post. The Dodgers now sit third on the list, behind the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres.
Heyman listed the New York Mets as the favourite at 9-5. The Padres were second at 4-to-1, and the Dodgers third at 5-to-1. Several other clubs were considered long shots, including the Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees.
The Padres have shown clear interest in the pitcher. Reporter Jon Morosi has said the club has already expressed interest in Skubal. San Diego's rotation is thin, and the club needs to add several starting pitchers, which gives it a clear reason to pursue a player of Skubal's calibre. The Padres have already committed heavily to hitters, including Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim's teammate Jackson Merrill, so their remaining flexibility is a question.
The Padres' spending capacity is also unclear. Their new ownership group's willingness to commit money to a top free agent has not been publicly defined, and the club's actual budget is not known. Heyman's reporting suggests San Diego could also wait for greater clarity on the labour landscape, specifically the collective bargaining agreement, before committing heavily to a free agent of this size.
The Dodgers are viewed as the surer bet for a competitive offer. The club's record of spending on players is cited as a central strength in any negotiation, and it is seen by observers as more likely than the Padres to make a bid that matches the market for a pitcher of Skubal's standing. That reputation has not, however, been enough to keep Los Angeles among the top two favourites in this reporting.
Skubal's agent, Scott Boras, is expected to benefit from the emergence of a third serious contender. A competitive field typically pushes up offers, and the addition of the Padres to the group of serious bidders, alongside the Mets and Dodgers, gives Boras more leverage in discussions. The timing of any spending by the clubs, however, remains tied to the outcome of the collective bargaining process, which has yet to be settled.
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