RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 6 sourcesThe two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers are remaining defiant after their blockbuster acquisition of ace pitcher Tarik Skubal , while several other large-market clubs began sell-offs that defined this year’s MLB trade deadline.
The Dodgers further solidified their league-leading odds to win a third straight championship after landing Skubal, winner of the last two American League Cy Young Awards, in a trade with Detroit for three prospects. Club leaders, however, were unapologetic about the trade, as they acknowledged the Skubal move is bringing more criticism their way as MLB’s largest spender.
The Dodgers are also a central topic in ongoing labor talks between the league and MLB Players Association.
“It just seems like there’s always blowback with us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after his club was surprisingly swept at home by the Red Sox this past weekend. “People are passionate. We feel good about it. There’s nothing that we did that no one else couldn’t have done.”
To Roberts’ point, the Dodgers only had to surrender a former third-round draft pick from 2023, and two former 11th round selections—none of whom are currently among MLB’s top 20 prospects—to land one of the premier starting pitchers in the sport. That relatively low price was driven by the fact that Skubal will be a free agent after the season, making him a short-term rental.
The Dodgers will be responsible for about $9.5 million remaining on Skubal’s salary, bringing the club’s total luxury tax payroll and forthcoming 2026 tax obligation to a combined figure of more than $600 million. That sum is more than five times the comparable figure for the Marlins, MLB’s lowest-spending club.
“We’re not going to be flippant about this moment in time and how special this group, this era, can be in the history of this incredibly storied organization,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “We’re going to do everything we can to keep doing what we can to win the last game of the year.”
Trade Activity
Monday’s trade deadline, meanwhile, saw several other high-revenue clubs part with top players in the wake of disappointing seasons. Among the latest moves:
The Giants sent second baseman Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, along with reliever Caleb Killian, to the Phillies for two pitching prospects. San Francisco also previously sent veteran pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Braves for minor-league reliever Anthony Molina. The Giants era under president of baseball operations and former star catcher Buster Posey remains a rocky one as the club has been unable to challenge the Dodgers’ dominance in the National League West. Arraez will be joining his fifth team in five years after prior stints with the Twins, Marlins, and Padres.
The Mets began another sell-off, their second in four seasons , parting with starting pitcher Freddy Peralta and relievers A.J. Minter and Huascar Brazobán in separate deals with the Rays, Twins, and White Sox, respectively. The trades landed New York seven total prospects as MLB’s second-largest spender behind the Dodgers now will begin a painful rebuilding project. The Mets are expected to ship more veterans out before the trade deadline arrives at 6 p.m. ET on Monday.
The Blue Jays sent starting pitcher Kevin Gausman to the Cubs for two prospects. The Rogers Communications-owned club has regressed significantly this season after reaching Game 7 of the 2025 World Series.
The activity involving many of these larger-market clubs veered significantly from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, dominated instead by mid-market franchises .
The post MLB Trade Deadline Sees Big Market Clubs Trade Top Players appeared first on Front Office Sports .
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