Insider: Surprising New Team in the Mix to Land Tarik Skubal

When the Detroit Tigers are ultimately forced to allow Tarik Skubal to go in free agency next winter, the entire baseball world expects the big-spending Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets to be his prime suitors. Skubal will rake in the largest contract ever given to a pitcher (not counting Shohei Ohtani).

But according to insider Jon Heyman in the New York Post, we can count a third team in the mix to be a serious contender for Skubal.

"The early belief is that José E. Feliciano, nearing a purchase of the (San Diego) Padres for $3.9 billion, will be in it to win. Could that mean the Mets, Dodgers and others will have extra competition for this year’s top free agent, Tigers two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal?" Heyman wrote.

And if the Padres are ready to spend big money to make the team a winner again, as Heyman suggests that Feliciano will be, GM A.J. Preller will be the man to get it done. He's shown in years past that he has no problem spending his owner's cash, as evidenced by moves such as the $350 million extension handed Manny Machado in 2023, and the $340 million extension given Fernando Tatis Jr. a couple of years before that. And let's not forget the bold blockbuster move he made in trading for Juan Soto (since departed).

Padres now in the mix to make a big run at Tarik Skubal in free agency

The Padres rotation is badly in need of a superstar arm like Skubal. Currently, Michael King and Nick Pivetta can both opt out after the season and become free agents, Joe Musgrove hasn't pitched a full healthy season in four years, and he hasn't pitched at all yet this season, while there's no telling what the future holds for the aging Yu Darvish, who is out for the year.

Meanwhile, despite all of that, and the fact that Machado is batting just .195 with only two homers thus far, the Padres are on fire this season, leading the World Series champion Dodgers by half a game atop the NL West going into Saturday's play. If Skubal is looking for a winning situation, the Padres can compete with anybody.