Dodgers acquire two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from Tigers

02 Aug 2026, 07:37 pm IST|
Dodgers acquire two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from Tigers
Image source

The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a blockbuster deal for Tarik Skubal on Saturday night, acquiring the two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner from the Detroit Tigers. Skubal learned of the move while the Tigers were winning 8-6 over the Athletics and was emotional after the game as he prepared to leave the organization that drafted him in 2018.

The trade represented the most high-profile transaction of the deadline, with the Dodgers adding an established ace to their pitching corps. Skubal, a Cy Young-winning right-hander, has been developed by Detroit since they selected him in the 2018 draft. He will join the Los Angeles staff as the two-time defending World Series champions look to reinforce an already strong rotation.

Detroit announced the deal late on Saturday, and the timing meant Skubal received the news in the clubhouse during the Tigers’ 8-6 victory over the Athletics. Reports and team sources described the pitcher as emotional as he prepared to depart the club that brought him through its system. The move closes the chapter on the relationship that began when Detroit drafted him in 2018 and nurtured his rise to frontline status.

For Los Angeles, the acquisition brings a decorated arm into a rotation that has been one of the pillars of the franchise’s recent success. Skubal’s back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards underline the calibre of player the Dodgers have added. Club officials framed the deal as a major reinforcement for a team already built to compete at the highest level.

From the Tigers’ perspective, the trade sends prospects to Los Angeles in exchange for Skubal’s services, as the two clubs rearranged assets at the deadline. The deal marks a significant roster move for Detroit as it parts with the pitcher who emerged from its development pipeline. Exact details of the return were part of the teams’ announcement and accompanying reports surrounding the trade.

The transaction was one of the headline moves of the trade window, with Skubal shifting to Los Angeles to join the two-time defending World Series champions. He leaves the club that drafted him in 2018, and the Dodgers add a proven ace to their rotation as the season continues. The trade closes one chapter for Detroit and begins a new one for Skubal in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles DodgersDetroit TigersTarik SkubalAL Cy Young AwardWorld Series