MLB owners aren’t opening the gates til they salary cap this league, looking around the landscape, NBA teams sold for multi-billy’s while MLB teams struggle with the lack of a defined wage ledger they can pencil in annually.
Meanwhile, the MLB players’ association appears the last remaining major sports union not selling their rights for magic beans.
2026 may be the final season…for a while.
Of course, Tarik Skubal wanted a trade to the back-to-back defending champions, once again at the top of the standings.
“Ring chasing”, a slur created by never-beens to blemish legacies. I, too, would prefer to work in the easiest work environment possible. Listen to the sports blogger—whose name you probably don’t even know—tell you “getting it out of the mud” ain’t it.
Even if you are unable to uncouple from the unearned superiority you feel over athletes based on where they decide to play, facing an inevitable work stoppage, losing another year of their physical prime, COVID-19 stealing 2020 from them, I still blame Rudy Gobert—Tarik Skubal, the best pitcher in baseball, two consecutive AL Cy Young Awards at the crib, wanted the best opportunity to win his first and maybe the final World Series championships.
Los Angeles Dodgers receive:
- SP Tarik Skubal
Detroit Tigers receive:
- SP River Ryan
- P Brady Smith
- OF Zyhir Hope
21-year-old Zyhir Hope is hitting .293/.369/.530 in Double-A this season. The Tigers just debuted their top outfield prospect, Max Clark. Zyhir Hope, hopefully, joins him in the outfield next season and the tandem wins championships for Dr. Abdul in Michigan.
27-year-old River Ryan’s proof of concept on display in his 2024 debut. 1.33 ERA in 4 starts, forearm tightness turned Tommy John Surgery ended his ’24, eliminated his 2025 and limited him to 8 starts n Triple-A this season, posting a 27.2% strikeout rate and a 5.1% walk rate. So, post-TJS, River’s still nice with it.
21-year-old Brady Smith is the lotto ticket, Baseball America ranked him a Top 30 Dodgers prospect but injuries drag him from the mound. He’s currently pitching in High-A. Maybe he’ll be a guy. Whatever. He’s no Tarik Skubal.
Winners and Losers of the Tarik Skubal trade
Let’s just do a quick winners and losers blog, while we’re all already here.
Winner: Tarik Skubal. He told teams, when his contract expires this winter, he wants to play for the Dodgers. He won.
Winner: LA Dodgers. Tarik Skubal Game 1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto Game 2. Shohei Ohtani Game 3. Tarik Skubal Game 4. Dodgers in 4.
Loser: Milwaukee Brewers. See the above playoff starters.
Winner: whiners. It’s never been a better time to be a baby. The loudest of them, clout-chasing, screaming at the algorithm about the deah of baseball at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Only to be dwarfed by the recoil, shouting back angrily at the other 29 MLB owners unwilling to sell their yachts to give the next Anthony Rendon or Kris Bryant a bag of cash for nothing. Y’all get to argue with each other for likes. Enjoy.
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