Tarik Skubal stays quiet on free agency after Dodgers exit
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Tarik Skubal would not talk about his future after the Dodgers lost 6-4 to the Brewers.
- He is set to become a free agent this offseason. He can sign with any team.
- His next deal could wait for a new labor deal. The Mets are one team linked to him.
Tarik Skubal is about to hit free agency. He is not ready to talk about it yet. The star pitcher stayed quiet after the Los Angeles Dodgers lost on Thursday night.
Milwaukee beat Los Angeles 6-4. The loss ended the Dodgers season.
Free agency means he can sign with any team. He does not have to stay with the Dodgers. Every team in baseball can now make him an offer.
That is why fans are asking where he will play next. Skubal gave them no answer. He said his head was still on the loss.
He did not want to talk about his future.
What happened
The Dodgers faced the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4. The game was part of the National League Championship Series. That series is called the NLCS for short.
It decides which team goes to the World Series. The Dodgers needed a win to stay alive. They lost 6-4 instead.
The loss ended the series. Milwaukee won all four games. That is called a sweep.
The Brewers now go to the World Series. The Dodgers go home. It ended their bid for a third straight title.
Los Angeles had won the last two World Series.
Skubal watched Game 4 from the dugout, according to CBS Sports. The dugout is the bench area for players. He did not pitch in that game.
He had pitched earlier in the series. He took the loss in Game 1, according to DodgersWay. The Dodgers lost that game too.
After Game 4, reporters asked about his future. Skubal kept his answer short. He said he would not comment on his future.
He said his head was on the loss. He did not give a hint about his next team.
His silence is normal for this moment. Players often wait after a hard loss. They do not make big choices on the same night.
Skubal had just watched his season end. He wanted time to process it.
Who is Tarik Skubal
Skubal is 29 years old. He is a left-handed pitcher. He throws with his left hand.
He is one of the best pitchers in baseball. He has won the Cy Young Award twice. That award goes to the best pitcher in each league.
He won it in 2024 and 2025. Both wins came in the American League.
He started the 2026 season with the Detroit Tigers. The Dodgers got him in a trade. A trade means two teams swap players.
Detroit sent Skubal to Los Angeles. The deal included top prospect Zyhir Hope, according to CBS Sports. A prospect is a young player with big promise.
Hope went to Detroit in the deal.
Skubal also missed time this season. He had elbow surgery in the spring. He missed starts from April 29 to June 13, according to CBS Sports.
He came back and pitched well. His return helped the Dodgers down the stretch.
His 2026 numbers were strong. He went 12-7 in the regular season. That means 12 wins and 7 losses.
His ERA was 2.72, according to Athlon Sports. ERA stands for earned run average. It shows how many runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings.
A lower ERA is better. He struck out 186 batters in 158 and two-thirds innings.
He also pitched well in the playoffs. He made two starts for the Dodgers. He had a 2.45 ERA in those games.
He struck out 14 batters in 11 innings, according to Athlon Sports. The Dodgers still lost both games he started. Baseball is a team sport.
One pitcher cannot win alone.
Why it matters
Skubal is the top free agent on the market. That is what CBS Sports calls him. The market means the pool of free players.
Teams will fight to sign the best ones. Skubal sits at the top of that list. His age helps him.
He is only 29. His track record helps too. He has two Cy Young Awards.
Teams pay big money for that mix.
His next deal could be huge. His next deal could be huge. CBS Sports reports it could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.
No exact figure has been reported. No team has made a public offer yet. But the price will be high.
Top pitchers earn top pay. Skubal is a top pitcher.
The Dodgers have a clear reason to keep him. They traded for him to win now. They wanted a third straight title.
That plan failed. But Skubal pitched well for them. They know what he can do.
Keeping him would keep their rotation strong. The rotation is the group of starting pitchers.
The Brewers swept the Dodgers in four games. The sweep showed the Dodgers need help. Their pitching was not enough in the series.
Skubal is one fix for that problem. Losing him would make the job harder. The Dodgers would need a new ace.
An ace is a team's best pitcher.
Other teams will also chase him. The New York Mets are one team linked to him. SNY reports that Mets owner Steve Cohen could play a big role.
Cohen is one of the richest owners in baseball. His money could help the Mets make a huge offer. That is why the Mets keep coming up in this story.
Scott Boras is his agent, according to DodgersWay. An agent helps a player sign a deal. Boras is known for getting big contracts.
He will talk to many teams. He will push the price up. That is his job.
Skubal will not rush. He can wait for the best offer.
What happens next
The first step is rest. Skubal will take time after the season. He will talk with his family and his agent.
Then the talks with teams will start. Teams can now make their pitch. They will explain why he should join them.
Money will be a big part of it. Winning will matter too. Skubal has not won a World Series yet.
He may want a team that can get him one.
One big question could slow things down. Baseball's labor deal is ending. The labor deal is called the CBA.
It sets the rules between MLB and the players. CBS Sports reports that the CBA is expiring. Owners are pushing for a salary cap.
A salary cap is a limit on team spending. It would cap how much teams can pay players.
CBS Sports reports his deal might have to wait. It may wait until a new CBA is done. Teams want to know the rules first.
They want to know how much they can spend. A new deal could change the math. But another team could move fast.
CBS Sports reports that a team could try to sign him under the old rules. That would lock in a deal before new rules arrive.
This is why fans should not expect fast news. A deal may take weeks. It may take months.
The labor talks could drag on. Skubal can afford to wait. He is the top prize.
Teams will wait for him too.
The Dodgers will be in the mix. They have deep pockets. We explained the payroll gap between the Dodgers and small-market teams earlier.
The Dodgers can outspend most teams. But the Mets can spend big too. Other rich teams may join the race.
The Yankees, Phillies, and Rangers are often named in such races. No team has been confirmed as a bidder yet. Those names are just early guesses.
What to watch
Watch the labor talks first. The CBA talks will shape the market. A quick deal could speed up signings.
A long fight could freeze them. If talks stall, teams may hold their money. That would delay Skubal's signing.
Watch the Mets next. They have the money to make a splash. Cohen has shown he will spend.
If the Mets make an early offer, the race could heat up fast. If they wait, the Dodgers get more time.
Watch the Dodgers too. They must decide how much to pay. They have other needs on the roster.
They also have a big payroll already. But losing Skubal would hurt. Fans will watch for any sign of talks.
A quiet week does not mean no talks. Most talks happen in private.
Watch the World Series schedule as well. The World Series starts on October 23. Free agency news often picks up after it ends.
Teams focus on the World Series first. Then they turn to signings. Skubal's story may stay quiet until then.
Skubal said nothing about his future on Thursday. That silence says a lot. He is the biggest name on the market.
His choice will shape the offseason. The Dodgers want him back. The Mets want a shot at him.
The labor talks may decide the timing. For now, everyone waits.
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