Dodgers stepping aside should push Blue Jays into the Tarik Skubal sweepstakes

The Los Angeles Dodgers are going home for the winter. The Milwaukee Brewers will be representing the National League in the Fall Classic, and the Dodgers are left wondering what could have been. It raises interesting questions about how they will improve upon a roster that still possess a lot of talent.

The biggest free agent this winter is none other than starting pitcher Tarik Skubal. The two-time Cy Young winner is projected to break the record for the richest contract ever signed by a pitcher. That record is currently owned by Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Yamamoto may have spurned the Toronto Blue Jays to sign a 12-year, $325-million contract with the Dodgers, but Skubal certainly wouldn't look half bad in a Toronto uniform.

The Dodgers have amassed a boatload of big-dollar contracts, but early indications seem to suggest that Los Angeles will be abstaining from the Skubal negotiations. The soon-to-be 30-year-old didn't want to address his upcoming free agency after the Dodgers were eliminated.

Blue Jays make sense as a landing spot for free agent pitcher Tarik Skubal

The Blue Jays should be one of the few teams that make a legitimate bid for his services. They possess wealthy ownership, and a burning desire to win after such a disappointing 2026 regular season.

Simply put, when does a pitcher this talented ever become so available? Skubal seems like the kind of pitcher who can still post stable production even in the back-end of a lengthy free agent contract.

It's easy to understand why the Dodgers may be seeking to show some financial restraint. For one, they have utilized massive deferrals to reduce the net present value on their highest-salaried players, but those payments will eventually come due. Plus, it feels like the financial waters are becoming choppy in light of recent allegations surrounding Owner Mark Walter.

When Los Angeles pulled off a blockbuster trade deadline maneuver to land the game's best starting pitcher, a World Series title seemed inevitable. Skubal held up his end of the bargain in California, posting a 2.45 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 11 postseason innings. After coming over from the Detroit Tigers in early August, he posted a 2.61 ERA, 70 strikeouts and 13 walks in 62 innings of work (10 games started).

The Dodgers losing to the small-market Brewers has proven how difficult it is to consistently contend for World Series championships. With a lockout expected to take place in early December, who knows when Skubal will sign. A potential salary cap could also spook the Blue Jays from participating in high-dollar free agent bidding.

The Blue Jays have to improve an offense that shockingly ranked near the bottom in a host of statistics. On the pitching side, Dylan Cease, José Soriano, a hopefully-healthy Cody Ponce, and Trey Yesavage represent a solid foundation to build from. But if they really want to make the rotation a force, Skubal should be penciled in for a minimum of 25-30 starts per year.

Toronto proved last winter that it was willing to extend itself to sign a coveted pitcher in free agency like Cease. He'll be in his own financial category, but throwing their weight around by going after Skubal would continue to push Toronto as one of the premier players in the free agent market.

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