The Dodgers want back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, and they are willing to trade away their best players to get him. But here’s the important part: New York isn’t sure about the price, but Los Angeles is ready to go. That doubt could cost Detroit millions and give the Dodgers the best pitching lineup in history.

It could cost a lot, though, for LA: pitcher Emmet Sheehan, young arm Justin Wrobleski, and either top prospect Zyhir Hope or Josue De Paula. Sheehan, a young right-handed pitcher, has a 2.82 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 73.1 innings pitched. Wrobleski, a young left-handed pitcher, has a 4.32 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched. Hope and De Paula are both good outfielders.

Hope has a .266 batting average and 13 home runs, while De Paula has a .250 average and 12 home runs. But the Dodgers are willing to give up these valuable players to make their rotation stronger. And it’s probably clear why!

The Dodgers would have an unbeatable group of aces if they signed Skubal, including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, and Tyler Glasnow. Skubal had a 2.21 ERA, 241 strikeouts, and an AL-leading 6.5 bWAR in 2025. Jim Bowden explains it further.

“The Dodgers don’t need Skubal, but he’d give them a powerful group of aces that would also help them avoid injuries and give them a head start in trying to sign him beyond 2026.” This move would give the Dodgers a big edge in the league and put them in a good place to go far in the playoffs.

Skubal led the American League in strikeouts and won his second straight award with 26 of 30 first-place votes.

But while the Dodgers are willing to pay that price, the Mets are pulling back.

The Mets’ careful approach to pursuing Skubal has changed the way teams compete. At the MLB general managers’ meeting, David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for the New York Mets, said that the team would talk to any top available pitcher. “I think if a front-line pitcher, top-of-the-rotation pitcher is available, we’re going to be involved in those discussions.”

However, people inside the organization believe that acquiring Skubal would mean giving up four of their best prospects, likely three of their top ten, and one of their top twenty. This could potentially destroy the Mets’ farm system, which they planned to utilize to remain competitive in the long term.

This edge over the competition goes far beyond starting pitching and prospect strategy. The Los Angeles Dodgers‘ real test of power is their ability to take the best players from their division rivals, and they’re about to do it again.

Dodgers targeting Robert Suarez

The Dodgers’ next move could end a rivalry before it even starts. The Padres have always been in the shadow of the Dodgers, but Los Angeles and San Diego are quietly fighting to become the next real power dynamic in baseball. But the execution gap – and now in spending power – could become significantly larger.

According to Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report, the Dodgers are interested in Padres closer Robert Suarez. A two-year, $26 million offer with a $14 million club option for 2028 might get the reliever to move north. Kelly made it clear how weak the Padres were.

“Considering president of baseball operations A.J. Preller acquired Mason Miller at the trade deadline and the Padres bullpen will return Adrián Morejón and Jason Adam (although he’s coming back from a ruptured left quad and may not be ready for Opening Day), San Diego will probably let Suarez walk in free agency.”

The tantalizing possibility looms large. Kelly wrote, “The two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers, much to the chagrin of Padres fans, make quite a bit of sense for Suarez.”

This wouldn’t be the first time LA would act aggressively, though. Last offseason, the Dodgers signed Padres reliever Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal.

Scott’s disappointing first season made people wonder if Los Angeles would use the same plan again. But here they are now, circling another San Diego asset. It seems like the message is on purpose: the Dodgers don’t just beat their opponents on the field. They take their talent out in a planned way.