The Los Angeles Dodgers and their elite farm system remain the biggest contender for Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, and a new trade package highlights how strong an offer they can make.
With the MLB Trade Deadline approaching in a month and change, trade speculation has kicked up into high gear.
Skubal is the biggest name that could be moved ahead of the deadline, and ESPN’s MLB insider Jeff Passan has continued to link the Dodgers to the ace.
Citing their current postseason push, Passan highlighted that the Dodgers can make the best offer on the market.
What would be the Dodgers’ offer?
Passan laid out a theoretical package of right-handed pitcher Emmet Sheehan, outfield prospect Zyhir, and shortstop Aidan West.
“Nobody has the combination of pitching and outfield prospect depth of the Dodgers, and that allows Los Angeles to provide a wholly unique package: a good major league starter, a top-50 prospect in Hope and a 19-year-old middle infielder who has scouts in the Arizona Complex League buzzing,” Passan wrote in his story.
“Sheehan would immediately slot into the Tigers’ rotation, Hope should be ready to join Riley Greene and Max Clark in Detroit’s outfield next year, and West adds necessary depth to the system.
“There are plenty of other options — Justin Wrobleski or River Ryan or Christian Zazueta as arms, Mike Sirota or Eduardo Quintero or Charles Davalan (but not Josue De Paula) in the outfield — but this version makes the most sense. It’s a wild overpay, but the possibility of three straight rings calls for that.”
Should the Dodgers make the deal?
This trade package is a no-brainer for the Dodgers. Sheehan is an emerging pitcher, certainly, but he is fighting his mechanics right now, and he could use a place where his spot in the rotation is secure.
The Dodgers have so much pitching depth that they can replace Sheehan in a heartbeat. Additionally, Hope stands out as one of the less shiny outfield prospects, with Mike Sirota and James Tibbs tearing it up down in the minor leagues.
Instead of giving up West, given the lack of depth at other spots around the farm, throwing in someone like Sirota and Tibbs would be ideal for addressing the logjam in the outfield minor leagues.
However, with a three-peat on the line, the Dodgers have to strike as long as the trade proposal is reasonable, and the package that Passan laid out is an easy accept.
9 Responses
Sheehan, Freeland, and De Paula for Skubs.
I would not give up Freeland. He shows a lot of promise!
Detroit’s rejoinder would be: I would not give up Scubal he shows a lot of promise!
San Diego’s GM gave up 3 of his most talented minor leaguers for Mason Miller. If you
want “to get”, you have “to give.”
Before we trade anyone we need to know that Skubal is okay and will be worth trading for. He hasn’t even pitched yet. From the Dodgers standpoint it might be better if he played another year and proved he is up to the task. As far as who to send in a trade, a definite NO on Freeland/ De Paula. Hope is a good choice because he is an all or nothing, hit or strike out type of batter, We don’t need another James Outman/Chris Taylor on the team who strikes out more than he hits. And definitely not Wrobleski who had been great this year. Sheehan is perfect. He has done enough to be attractive to another team and is a low cost alternative but continually regresses in his starts and can not master the strike zone repeatably. Yeah he can throw hard but he also get hits hard. With Roki Sasaki looking like he may have finally figured it out, Sheehan becomes expendable. Hyeseong Kim is a great defender who can’t handle MLB pitching on a regular basis. As long as that is the case, we need Freeland. And if they wany someone else, send them Ryan Ward who looks like he is on skates in the outfield and with no other open position to play, is truly a DH anyway and will not unseat Ohtani. Might as well give him a chance somewhere else…
I can go with Sheehan and Freeland but not DePaula.. I would go with Hope or one of the other outfielders..
Also, and I know you all will think that I am crazy but, I will throw in Dave Roberts!! Yes, I said Dave Roberts..
He is not a good manager.. He doesn’t know when to take a pitcher out or leave him in.. He knows nothing
about playing “small ball”.. God bless Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda, they knew how to play “small ball”..
Davey Lopes or Maury Wills would get on by a walk and steal second base.. Next man would “bunt” either
one over to third base and the next guy hits a fly ball.. One run on no hits.. And, as you see, there are a lot
of games where the Dodgers do not hit.. Most of them can’t “bunt”.. Tell me, how many times do they get
a man on third base with less than two outs and the next batter (if there is one out) strikes out!! Or, (if there
is no outs) the next two batters strike out!! The next guy hits the fly ball.. I rest my case!! 🙂
I think the Tigers would be stupid to trade Skubal & the Dodgers foolish to go after him. The Dodgers have 5 healthy starters, 4 of whom are elite. They have 2 more elite starters on the IL. Manager Dave Roberts is not only masterful with the pitching staff, he’s using the bench wisely to rest his vets before the playoffs. The Dodgers are on the right path for now & tomorrow. Should circumstances change, the organization will figure out what needs to be done
“4 of whom are elite.” Ok we have Shohei and Yamamotto…those are the only 2 elite pitchers.
Certainly, it can’t be Snell or Glasnow…….both of them are on the IL for at least 60% of the time
based on last yr and this yr. You are not elite if your teammates cannot depend on you to show up
and do your fair share. Also, the stress that Snell and Glasnow place on the remainder of the pitching
staff (SPs & RPs) by not being available, can’t be underestimated !
That package will not be enough for the Tigers.
Hope…absolutely not. Wrobleski no. River Ryan, no.