LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Sunday made official their trade of Tarik Skubal, winner of the last two American League Cy Young Awards. For the start left-hander, the Dodgers sent outfielder Zyhir Hope plus pitchers River Ryan and Brady Smith to the Detroit Tigers.
Ryan was the only one of those three players on the 40-man roster, so Skubal simply takes Ryan’s spot. The Dodgers already had an open slot after designating Cole Irvin for assignment on Saturday, but that spot wasn’t needed, yet. The trade deadline comes at 3 p.m. PT on Monday, so there’s still time for maneuvering.
Skubal missed six weeks this season after arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow, similar to the procedures Edwin Díaz and Blake Snell underwent this season, though with a quicker return to action. The left-hander in 16 starts this season has a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts and 14 walks in 96 2/3 innings, and over his last six starts has a 1.95 ERA with 50 strikeouts against only six walks.
Among the 121 major league pitchers with at least 80 innings this season, Skubal ranks 16th in ERA (2.79), eighth in xERA (2.97), second in SIERA (2.67), fifth in strikeout rate (31 percent), second in strikeout-minus-walk rate (27.3 percent), and first in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.29).
Skubal joins a Dodgers rotation first in the majors in ERA (3.36), second in xERA (3.58), and second in innings per start (5.55).
Skubal won a polarizing and record-setting salary arbitration hearing over the Tigers in February, and is making $32 million this season. With the trade finalized on Sunday with 57 days left in the regular season, the Dodgers are on the hook for roughly $9,806,452 the rest of the way.
Because the Dodgers are both a multiple-repeat competitive balance tax payer and because they surpassed the fourth (and highest) CBT threshold, they will pay a 110-percent tax on any overage, which is another $10,787,097.
Presumably the Dodgers will activate Skubal at some point during their series against the Chicago Cubs, which begins Monday at Wrigley Field. Skubal last pitches Wednesday for the Tigers, throwing 92 pitches in 6 2/3 innings against the Baltimore Orioles. He’d be on four days rest on Monday, something he’s done in five of his 16 starts this season, and would be on five days rest on Tuesday.
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