The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Detroit Tigers announced the biggest trade deadline move of the season on Sunday. Reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is going to the Dodgers, giving the team a great fix for their formidable rotation, which had fallen into recent trouble. Skubal will now help the Dodgers pursue their aim of a World Series three-peat. But an emotional Skubal was on the verge of tears while speaking about leaving Detroit.

“The goal was always to win a World Series for the city, for the organization that took a chance on me. So, yeah, it’s tough,” Skubal admitted, per SportsCenter. “I love all those guys in there. They’re some of my best friends. Yeah, it’ll be tough, for sure.”

29-year-old Tarik Skubal began his big league career with the Detroit Tigers in 2020. He is in the final year of club control before he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2026 season. For six years, the Tigers were the ace’s home. He even won back-to-back Cy Young awards in 2024 and 2025 while pitching for the Tigers. After the teams officially announced the trade, a teary-eyed Skubal expressed how difficult it is for him to leave Detroit. He also spoke about leaving the organization without winning the World Series for them.

After winning his $32 million arbitration case against the Tigers, Skubal became one of the highest-paid starting pitchers in the league this season. With his looming free agency, the Tigers’ president of baseball operations, Scott Harris, opted to trade Skubal now, rather than letting him go for nothing at the end of the season. In exchange for Skubal, the Tigers received a package deal of OF Zyhir Hope, RHP River Ryan, and RHP Brady Smith.

That said, Skubal will now join a rotation spearheaded by Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The southpaw’s skill should fix any problems the Dodgers hit with Shohei Ohtani shut down from pitching, while Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell remain sidelined due to injuries. Glasnow has not pitched since May due to back spasms, and Snell is currently on rehab after elbow surgery. Roki Sasaki has also been inconsistent this season.

Skubal himself has undergone elbow surgery on May 6 via a minimally invasive arthroscopic procedure. The cutting-edge technology has allowed him to make a faster recovery and return to the rotation. Despite undergoing surgery, Skubal has posted a 2.79 ERA and a 7-5 record across 16 starts for Detroit this season.

The addition of Skubal stabilizes the defending World Series champion’s rotation. Because Skubal was acquired in-season via trade, the Dodgers will not be eligible to extend him a qualifying offer when he reaches free agency. Despite the current CBA expiring on December 1, Skubal will likely secure one of the biggest contracts for a starting pitcher in MLB history.