Breaking: Skubal to Dodgers (+ Doval is a Pirate)
- Ethan Semendinger
- Aug 2
- 3 min read
Breaking News: According to Jeff Passan (ESPN), the Los Angeles Dodgers are trading for SP Tarik Skubal. (And Camilo Doval was traded to the Pirates today too.)
Tweets:
Quick Thoughts:
On Skubal:
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the New York Yankees of old. This has already been official and proven many times over, but they never fail to get the best talent whenever it becomes available, be it in the offseason, trade deadline, etc.
When rumors started floating around that the Dodgers are interested in Skubal- and what team wouldn't be?- it was clear that they were going to be a front runner to acquire him. Why? Because they operate in a no-nonsense type of way. If the Dodgers want a player, they will make it happen.
Credit to the Dodgers for making this trade happen. They have an excellent player development program, and they are not afraid to trade top-end prospect talent to make the MLB team better today. They are able to leverage talent for short-term gain, and then take those gains and keep them around with lucrative contracts.
I'm mildly surprised that Skubal was traded tonight. With the ever increasing number of teams that are "in the playoff hunt", players of Skubal's talent are often dangled around up until at least the day of the trade deadline. It is clear the Dodgers made the Tigers an offer they could not refuse.
Zyhir Hope is the MLB Pipeline 25th overall prospect. River Ryan is the MLB Pipeline 68th overall prospect. If the Yankees were to match this offer, it would take George Lombard Jr. (who is 20th overall) and Elmer Rodriguez (who is 72nd overall). Remember that.
Additionally, the Yankees also have Dax Kilby (ranked 57th overall) and and Carlos Lagrange (ranked 78th overall) on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 list.
When we look back in 5 years at this trade, I'd be interested in seeing if any of the four prospects listed above worked out. Prospects are great, but MLB proven talent is greater. Will any of them reach the caliber of player of Tarik Skubal? Maybe. (And for their sakes, I hope they all do! That'd be awesome!) But, history suggests that is not the case.
I'm not saying the Yankees should've matched this offer- okay, maybe I am- but, I am saying that they, theoretically, could have.
On Doval:
Camilo Doval was also traded today, to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Yankees received two prospects in return for him: Omar Alfonzo and Luis Cruz.
Omar Alfonzo is now the Yankees 27th overall prospect, according to the MLB Pipeline. He's a lefty-hitting catcher/first base option who will likely play in Double-A. He's a piece to reload the catching depth that the Yankees have been trading away en mass the last few years.
Luis Cruz is an 18-year-old outfielder who was in the Dominican Summer League.
This was a good trade.
Unfortunately, Doval did not work out in the Yankees pinstripes. For whatever reason, Matt Blake and the rest of the coaching staff could not find a way to make him work here. That's okay (it happens), and I am happy that instead of continuing this experiment, the Yankees are cutting their losses.
---
That is it from me for tonight.
Remember: the Trade Deadline is on Monday! I will be running my yearly trade deadline coverage of rumors, trades, speculation, and more from 10:00 AM until the deadline is over. Make sure to check in for other quick reactions, current news and rumors, and whatever else I can think of to pass the 5+ hours I will be sitting in front of my computer and the TV.
See you then!
-Ethan
Paul, you may not like this. I am not going to draw any conclusion but I will lay out some facts.
BC asked the Tigers about Skubal over the Winter. the asking price was 1 fairly proven MLB starter and 1 fairly proven MLB position player and Lombard, our #1 prospect at any position.
FACT a trade in the Winter is not the same as a trade in July
in the Winter you could have theoretically every team interested. in July, however, the interested teams will be contenders to win a trophy. in theory they will be more motivated to add a needed piece to complete the ultimate goal.
in the winter you are trading a player away for a…
Miller
my thoughts on Hal, as recorded in comments here (and often previously), aside, the Yankees had very little reason to use their best trade chips to move for Skubal. probably the biggest reason for doing it would have been to keep him from the Rays or Dodgers.
so, YES, it is annoying to see the Dodgers continue to prove that they want to win more than anyone else does and act accordingly.
I am less than thrilled about Skubal being a Dodger!! yet, it is a blessing that he is not a Ray!!
newest comments are showing a greater interest by the Os to move Rutschman. it is also looking like they want controllable starting pitching. WHAT team has beco…
Ethan, great work staying on top of this. Looking forward to updates through the deadline. Thanks for doing this.
Cant see why we would go for Skubal when our rotation is one of the strongest in baseball and we have so many other weaknesses. Go big where we can. If we can get the catcher from Baltimore than do it. Get Morejon. Try for Lopez or Edwards. If we can get Lopez or Edward and bring up Lombard, then trade Jazz.. Not sure why we want an outfielder who is batting .240 with 7 hrs. I know he walks a lot but dont think that is going to move the needle. Unfortunately many of the big bats available have expensive long term deals. I believe we could obtain Machado, Deevers, etc. but contracts to 2032 or 2033. Rediculous.