The Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series dream may have ended prematurely in 2026, but their search for unfinished business is already shaping up to be an intriguing offseason story. Tarik Skubal finds himself in a similar position, with his next move potentially determining whether he gets another shot at a championship alongside Los Angeles.

After arriving from the Detroit Tigers three months ago, the former Cy Young winner made 10 appearances for the Dodgers, posting a solid 2.61 ERA. Now, with free agency threatening to pull him away just as the partnership begins to take shape, Los Angeles faces the risk of losing a valuable arm before it can fully capitalize on his talent. But Blake Snell may have a plan to change that. Banking on his personal relationship with Skubal, the Dodgers pitcher is hoping to play a crucial role in keeping the star left-hander in Los Angeles.

“I talk to him every day. He’s good, he’s good. He knows how I feel. I want nothing more than for him to be a Dodger,” Snell said on SportsNet LA. “But again, it’s a life decision for him and his family, so I respect that. I keep it there. But I’ve done my pitch… I hear the Dodger fans hitting me up all the time, ‘Get little bro to stay here.’ We’ll see what he does. I think we have a good shot; I think we do have a good shot to get him back.”

Despite playing together for only a handful of months, Snell and Skubal formed a fast, brotherly “bromance” after the latter joined the Dodgers at the 2026 trade deadline. As two elite, multi-time Cy Young Award-winning left-handed starting pitchers, their bond quickly became one of the most talked-about storylines of the Dodgers’ season.

“I think that they’ve kind of forged their own relationship,” manager Dave Roberts said. While the 29-year-old Skubal jokingly calls the older Snell his “little brother”, the 33-year-old Snell firmly shuts it down by using his four-year age advantage to claim “Big Bro” status.

So, Snell doing his part to keep Skubal in the Dodgers holds value for the fans.

Clayton Kershaw is past now, and Skubal is someone offering Kershaw-like metrics. With an upper-90s four-seamer, a wipeout changeup, and walk rates consistently below 5 percent, he limits hard contact at historically elite levels. Re-signing him guarantees the Dodgers have an abundance of riches at the top of their rotation. A three-headed monster of Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto gives Los Angeles three front-line, championship-caliber aces capable of dominating any postseason series.

However, the expected figures Skubal is expecting could make things difficult for a reunion. Per Ben Clemens, Skubal could fetch around $38 million AAV for 10 years taking his contract around $400 million. The Dodgers are reportedly willing to offer a higher AAV for a shorter period.

Considering Skubal will face no dearth of suitors in free agency, the Dodgers might need to bank on Snell’s personal equation with Skubal to retain the latter.

The Dodgers could find it difficult in free agency

No teams will wish to miss a pitcher with a career 3.02 ERA. Yet Skubal’s financial expectations would keep only the cash-rich teams in contention. Apart from the Dodgers, the Cubs are highly motivated to land an elite ace, viewing Skubal as the definitive piece to elevate their pitching staff.

However, internal skepticism remains regarding whether they will fully match the ultra-aggressive bidding from New York or Los Angeles. On the other hand, with a highly driven new ownership group looking to make a massive splash and fill the vacancies left by departing free agents, the Padres are a serious wildcard in the market.

The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Toronto Blue Jays could also splash on Skubal, considering they are financially capable and desperate for a turnaround. The only difference between the Dodgers and other suitors will be Blake Snell.