The Los Angeles Dodgers made a huge move this past summer, adding arguably the league's best pitcher in Tarik Skubal.
The Dodgers traded for Skubal in a blockbuster move that was meant to help them secure their third consecutive World Series. While the 29-year-old pitcher did his part into October, the Dodgers fell short of that goal.
Now the two-time Cy Young winner is set to hit the open market. Skubal is the best free agent this winter, and many teams will be gunning for the southpaw, including the Dodgers.
The Dodgers couldn't get the job done in 2026, and with that in mind, outside noise suggests their dynasty is over. That's fair to suggest given their aging roster, injuries and expected decline.
However, those within the Dodgers organization believe otherwise — and so does Skubal.
The 29-year-old thinks the Dodgers are far from done competing for World Series titles.
“I don’t feel that at all,” Skubal said regarding the potential end of the Dodgers' dynasty. “It’s hard to win the World Series, and this group has done it the last two seasons. Obviously, not this year, but … I think that this group is incredibly talented. And the preparation and the work ethic that this group has — I don’t buy into that narrative.”
Dodgers Aren’t Listening to Outside Noise About Their Dynasty Being Over
External doubts have crept in regarding the Dodgers' chances of competing for future World Series titles after falling short of their three-peat.
However, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, like Skubal, has plenty of confidence in the makeup of this roster.
“For us, and we’ve talked about this a lot, even after successes and we winning a World Series and then winning back to back, everything we do is for our fans. And there’s a lot of noise around us in general. We don’t really pay much attention to it," Friedman said
"It’s a partnership we feel with our fans, and so people saying that we’re done and we’re on the downside of this run — it’s just more noise to us because everything for us is about the motivation we have to have a parade in the streets of Los Angeles next November.”
The Dodgers will have their sights set on winning the franchise's 10th World Series title in 2027.
Keeping Skubal in Los Angeles could go a long way toward making that a reality.
The southpaw is expected to command a contract potentially north of $400 million, and the Dodgers are one of few teams who can likely afford that.
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