THE DODGERS JUST KEEP BEATING MLB AT MONOPOLY
The Dodgers trade for Tarik Skubal, hitting MLB with another cheat code, and sounding more alarms for a salary cap... The Los Angeles Dodgers have done it again.
Just when the rest of Major League Baseball thought they had a fighting chance, the Dodgers walked into the trade deadline like they were shopping with somebody else's credit card.
Their newest purchase? Tarik Skubal. Yep...THAT Tarik Skubal.
The Dodgers, who are already sitting in first place in the National League West and chasing their third straight World Series championship, somehow convinced the Tigers to send them arguably the best pitcher available on the market. Meanwhile, the other 29 fan bases are looking around like, "So...are we even trying anymore?"
The Dodgers get a Cy Young-caliber ace. Detroit gets outfielder Zyhir Hope, right-hander River Ryan, and right-hander Brady Smith in return.
Skubal was dealing before the trade, posting a 2.79 ERA with 116 strikeouts, while throwing absolute missiles that touch 100 mph. His fastball explodes, his changeup disappears, his slider makes hitters question their career choices, and now he gets to pitch for a team that already treats runs like they're illegal.
The Dodgers have a pitching staff that already gives up some of the fewest runs. Now they add Tarik Skubal? At this point they're collecting All-Stars like Pokémon cards.
Every offseason we hear, "This is the year somebody finally knocks off the Dodgers." Then it seems like five minutes later, the Dodgers sign another superstar. Then they trade for another superstar. Then somehow they've got another future All-Star hiding in Triple-A like it's no big deal. At this point, I'm convinced Andrew Friedman has access to a baseball cheat code the rest of the league isn't allowed to download.
The scary part is Skubal isn't just another good pitcher. He's one of the best in baseball. His arsenal is ridiculous—an upper-90s fastball, a devastating changeup, plus a sinker, slider, and slurve that make hitters look like they're swinging underwater. Oh, and he also crossed the 1,000-strikeout mark this season.
Detroit deserves credit for making the playoffs in back-to-back years, but after falling out of the postseason race, they decided to cash in before Skubal hits free agency. From a baseball standpoint, it's a smart move. But from the perspective of literally every Dodgers hater, it's enough to make you throw your remote control.
You know what really gets me? Every time another superstar lands in Los Angeles, MLB tells us that competitive balance is alive and well. Competitive balance? The Dodgers are playing Monopoly with unlimited money while the rest of baseball is praying they don't land on Boardwalk. At this point, Rob Manfred might as well rename the trade deadline, "Welcome to the Los Angeles Dodgers Shopping Network."
If Major League Baseball wants fans to believe every team has a legitimate shot, then eventually they have to take a hard look at the system. Because watching the Dodgers reload with another ace every year feels less like a competition and more like watching the rich keep getting richer.
Whether you love them or absolutely can't stand them, one thing is certain: The Dodgers just became even scarier. And the rest of baseball? They're probably looking for the nearest panic button.