Let the fun begin.
Free agency has officially begun across Major League Baseball and players who are free agents are allowed to start signing deals. With the looming lockout coming in December, we should start to see moves popping up fairly quickly across the league. The prize of the offseason is going to be Tarik Skubal , to say the least. The two-time Cy Young Award winner is the clear-cut top free agent available right now and he should get paid well this winter. Right now, Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the largest contract by a pitcher in big league history, based on total value, at $325 million. Skubal is likely going to break that record.
But who is going to give him a historic deal? ESPN's Jeff Passan mentioned four teams as possible landing spots as the market opens up.
"The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets," Passan wrote. "There are bound to be others. The Chicago Cubs badly want Skubal. They also are skeptical that they will be willing to compete at the sort of dollars Skubal is expected to get -- well in excess of $300 million, potentially in the $400 million-plus range. With Michael King and Nick Pivetta being free agents, the San Diego Padres need a rotation anchor, and arguably the best pitcher in baseball would more than suffice."
Aug 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Los Angeles Dodgers hat and glove on the bench against the Atlanta Braves in the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Dodgers acquired Skubal from the Detroit Tigers ahead of the 2026 trade deadline for a haul. It will be interesting to see if Los Angeles can get another lucrative deal done with a superstar this winter. Last year, the Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. There are large contracts all over the place. If the Dodgers can get another done, it would be pretty surprising, especially with the looming lockout.
Aug 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; A New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Financially, no team has more than the Mets . If the idea is simply the largest offer possible, New York is the team that can make that happen. Plus, the Mets desperately need pitching.
Mar 31, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; A stock photo of a Chicago Cubs baseball hat and glove prior to a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Cubs are loaded, but need pitching badly as well. The Cubs arguably could be a World Series contender in 2027 if they add an ace this winter. But are they really going to hand out potentially the largest pitcher contract in baseball history?
May 24, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Diego Padres hats in the dugout during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
Never rule out AJ Preller. But with the other big contracts on the books, this feels like it would be a surprise as well. If the Padres traded an expensive star away, then this would make more sense. Of the group, arguably the Mets are the one that fits the best of these four at this time.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball as Four Teams Emerge In Tarik Skubal's Free Agency Sweepstakes .
