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19h ago

Skubal Holds Meetings With Multiple Teams as Mets Emerge As Frontrunner

A Dec. 1 CBA expiration compresses talks, risking a pre-deadline rush to sign a record long-term pitching contract.

The Astros have spoken with more than four candidates, and Randy Flores said Tuesday at the GM meetings that choosing a manager remains the first order of business in Houston.
When Albert Pujols hit his memorable homer against the Astros to win Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS, Randy Flores had a seat in the Cardinals' bullpen. Now, he's Houston's general manager and Pujols is a candidate to manage the team he tormented for so long.
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Overview

  • Reports Wednesday say Tarik Skubal will meet in person with at least six clubs, including the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, with two other teams described as 'mystery' suitors.
  • The Mets are widely viewed as the leading bidder because of a clear rotation need and owner Steve Cohen’s prior willingness to approve large, long-term guarantees.
  • The Dodgers plan to offer shorter-term, high average annual value deals while Skubal and agent Scott Boras are seeking multi-year guaranteed contracts, creating a central point of disagreement in negotiations.
  • Teams are weighing Skubal’s midseason elbow surgery and a drop in innings in 2026 when deciding how many guaranteed years to offer and how much risk to accept.
  • With the collective bargaining agreement set to expire on Dec. 1, sources say clubs and agents are motivated to complete a deal before any work stoppage takes effect and analysts project a possible contract in the roughly $350 million to $425 million range.