Overview
- Multiple outlets report Skubal has at least six teams lined up to meet him next week in Orange County, including the Dodgers, Mets, Padres and Blue Jays plus two unnamed clubs.
- The Dodgers are said to favor a short-term, high‑average‑annual‑value deal similar to the Kyle Tucker structure while Skubal and agent Scott Boras are reported to prefer longer guaranteed contracts.
- Boras has publicly criticized MLB owners’ proposed salary cap and has tied that critique to the urgency for Skubal to secure a long guarantee before the CBA expires on Dec. 1 and a potential lockout begins.
- Industry projections expect Skubal to command a record-setting pitching contract in the hundreds of millions, and his age (entering 30) plus prior Tommy John surgery and recent elbow work are cited as reasons he would seek maximum security.
- The meetings in Southern California will likely set the market tone for elite pitchers this offseason by revealing whether teams will accept longer guarantees or press for short-term, opt‑out structures and higher yearly pay.